Patents by Inventor Kimihiko Furukawa
Kimihiko Furukawa 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: 7394222Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery that is composed of a plurality of battery modules connected in series, a voltage detector that detects the relative voltages at the individual nodes between the battery modules with respect to a predetermined reference node, an erroneous detection checker that checks whether each of the detected relative voltages is an erroneously detected voltage and a normally detected voltage, and a calculation circuit that calculates the voltages of the individual battery modules based on those relative voltages that are judged to be normally detected voltages.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiichiro Hashimoto, Kimihiko Furukawa, Ryuji Yoshihara
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Publication number: 20080079434Abstract: The car power source apparatus is provided with a driving battery 1 that supplies power to the car's electric motor, a voltage detection circuit 3 that measures the voltage of batteries 2 in the driving battery 1, a plurality of voltage detection lines 8 connected in parallel between the input-side of the voltage detection circuit 3 and driving battery 1 voltage detection nodes 9, and a decision circuit 6 that determines if a voltage detection line 8 is open circuited from the voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 3. Each voltage detection line 8 has a voltage drop resistor 10 connected in series. The voltage detection circuit 3 is provided with input resistors 13 on its input-side. The car power source apparatus makes computations on the voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 3, which is from the voltage divider formed by the input resistor 13 and voltage drop resistors 10, to detect voltage detection line 8 open circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Takeshi Oosawa, Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20070221627Abstract: An electric power source for a motor vehicle is equipped with a welded state discriminator, and while a positive-side contactor and negative-side contactor are controlled to be switched off, the welded state discriminator detects a voltage of a positive-side contactor or negative-side contactor on its loading side with respect to a connecting point of a battery unit on a positive side and a battery unit on a negative side, so that when in a plus voltage where the detected voltage thus obtained is larger than a predetermined voltage, the positive-side contactor is judged to be in a welded state, and when in a minus voltage where the detected voltage is larger than the predetermined voltage, the negative-side contactor is judged to be in a welded state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2007Publication date: September 27, 2007Inventors: Masaki Yugou, Kimihiko Furukawa, Takeshi Osawa
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Patent number: 7262605Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery apparatus that is composed of a battery, a temperature sensor that is thermally coupled to the battery and whose electrical resistance changes with the temperature of the battery to which it is thermally coupled, a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the battery by detecting the electrical resistance of the temperature sensor, and a power supply circuit that feeds electrical power to the temperature detection circuit. The temperature sensor is connected via an overcurrent protection circuit to the power supply circuit.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhiro Seo, Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20070041140Abstract: The method to determine current detection circuit failure determines failure of a current detection circuit that is connected to a positive and negative power source and that issues a voltage corresponding to detected current at an output terminal. This method of determining failure cuts-off either one of the current detection circuit connections to the positive and negative power source, detects output voltage from the output terminal, and determines proper operation or failure of the current detection circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2006Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20070018780Abstract: The car power source apparatus is provided with a plurality of batteries, a temperature detection circuit, and an abnormal temperature rise prevention circuit. The temperature detection circuit detects electrical resistance change of a plurality of temperature sensors via a voltage conversion circuit, converts voltage conversion circuit output voltage into a digital signal via an A/D converter, and inputs that signal into a control circuit as a temperature signal. The abnormal temperature rise prevention circuit is provided with comparators to compare output voltage from the voltage conversion circuit of the temperature detection circuit with a reference voltage and output an abnormal temperature signal if battery temperature rises to a specified temperature, and a forced current cut-off circuit connected to the comparators to detect a comparator abnormal temperature signal and cut-off battery current.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2006Publication date: January 25, 2007Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Takeshi Osawa
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Publication number: 20060233004Abstract: The car power source apparatus is provided with a battery having a plurality of battery modules connected in series on positive and negative sides of a reference node, and a voltage detection circuit to detect battery module voltage with respect to the battery reference node. The battery reference node of the power source apparatus is connected to the voltage detection circuit via a reference connection line, and battery voltage detection nodes are connected to the voltage detection circuit via voltage detection lines. The voltage detection circuit detects detection node voltages to determine battery module voltages. The voltage detection circuit has detection switches connected in voltage detection lines, detection node voltages are detected with detection switches in the OFF state, and reference connection line open circuit is detected from those detected voltages.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2006Publication date: October 19, 2006Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Masahiko Hashimoto
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Patent number: 7098626Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery and a temperature detection circuit. The battery has n battery cells, and the temperature detection circuit has m temperature detection units. Each temperature detection units has a temperature sensor that is thermally coupled to one or more of the battery cells and whose electrical resistance decreases as the temperature of the battery cell or battery cells to which it is thermally coupled increases, a serial resistor that is connected in series with the temperature sensor, and a first diode whose cathode is connected to the node between the temperature sensor and the serial resistor. The serial circuit formed by the temperature sensor and the serial resistor receives a predetermined voltage such that, as the electrical resistance of the temperature sensor decreases, the voltage at the node decreases. The first diodes have anodes thereof connected together.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2005Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhiro Seo, Kimihiko Furukawa, Isao Arai
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Patent number: 7071698Abstract: A power supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a battery and a voltage detection circuit for detecting the voltage of the battery. The voltage detection circuit includes a differential amplifier which has a first input terminal for receiving a voltage based on the voltage of the battery and a second input terminal for receiving a predetermined triangular wave and outputs a rectangular wave with a pulse width modulated according to the voltage based on the voltage of the battery and a predetermined offset voltage, and an offset circuit which supplies the offset voltage to one of the first input terminal and the second input terminal so that the differential amplifier outputs a particular rectangular wave according to the offset voltage even when the voltage based on the voltage of the battery which is supplied to the first input terminal is 0.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2005Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: Sany Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Kazuhiro Seo, Yoshiaki Takahashi
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Publication number: 20060007622Abstract: The car power source apparatus is provided with a driving battery 1 having a plurality of battery modules 2 connected in series, contactors (electric vehicle battery relay contacts) 6 connected to the output side of the driving battery 1, a control circuit 7 to control the contactors 6 on and off, and a voltage detection circuit 3 to detect voltage of the battery modules 2 of the driving battery 1. Both the control circuit 7 and voltage detection circuit 3 are provided with output voltage detection circuits 7a, 3a to detect contactor 6 output voltage. If the output voltage detection circuit 7a in the control circuit 7 cannot detect contactor 6 output voltage, the output voltage detection; circuit 3a in the voltage detection circuit 3 detects contactor 6 output voltage to determine if a contactor 6 is fused closed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2005Publication date: January 12, 2006Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Masahiko Hashimoto
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Publication number: 20060006840Abstract: A power supply apparatus for a vehicle comprises a voltage detection circuit that detects voltages of a plurality of battery modules. The voltage detection circuit comprises a multiplexer that switches the battery modules voltages of which are detected in a time sharing manner, and a voltage detection portion that detects the voltages of the battery modules switched by the multiplexer. In the power supply apparatus, a particular point of the battery module is connected to a chassis through a leakage detection resistance, and the voltage detection circuit detects a chassis voltage that is inducted to the both ends of the leakage detection resistance by switching the multiplexer of the voltage detection circuit to detect a leakage resistance based on the chassis voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2005Publication date: January 12, 2006Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20050285566Abstract: The car power source apparatus is provided with a battery having a plurality of battery modules connected in series on positive and negative sides of a midpoint reference node, and a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage of one or a plurality of battery modules with respect to the midpoint reference node of the battery. The battery midpoint reference node of the power source apparatus is connected to the voltage detection circuit via a plurality of reference connection lines. Further, one or a plurality of conduction detection circuits connect to the reference connection lines, supply a voltage to each reference connection line, and detect current. The connection status of each reference connection line to the midpoint reference node is determined by this conduction detection circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2005Publication date: December 29, 2005Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Masahiko Hashimoto
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Publication number: 20050231175Abstract: A power supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a battery and a voltage detection circuit for detecting the voltage of the battery. The voltage detection circuit includes a differential amplifier which has a first input terminal for receiving a voltage based on the voltage of the battery and a second input terminal for receiving a predetermined triangular wave and outputs a rectangular wave with a pulse width modulated according to the voltage based on the voltage of the battery and a predetermined offset voltage, and an offset circuit which supplies the offset voltage to one of the first input terminal and the second input terminal so that the differential amplifier outputs a particular rectangular wave according to the offset voltage even when the voltage based on the voltage of the battery which is supplied to the first input terminal is 0.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2005Publication date: October 20, 2005Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Kazuhiro Seo, Yoshiaki Takahashi
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Publication number: 20050231169Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery apparatus that is composed of a battery, a temperature sensor that is thermally coupled to the battery and whose electrical resistance changes with the temperature of the battery to which it is thermally coupled, a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the battery by detecting the electrical resistance of the temperature sensor, and a power supply circuit that feeds electrical power to the temperature detection circuit. The temperature sensor is connected via an overcurrent protection circuit to the power supply circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2005Publication date: October 20, 2005Inventors: Kazuhiro Seo, Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20050225290Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery that is composed of a plurality of battery modules connected in series, a voltage detector that detects the relative voltages at the individual nodes between the battery modules with respect to a predetermined reference node, an erroneous detection checker that checks whether each of the detected relative voltages is an erroneously detected voltage and a normally detected voltage, and a calculation circuit that calculates the voltages of the individual battery modules based on those relative voltages that are judged to be normally detected voltages.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2005Publication date: October 13, 2005Inventors: Eiichiro Hashimoto, Kimihiko Furukawa, Ryuji Yoshihara
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Publication number: 20050206347Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a battery and a temperature detection circuit. The battery has n battery cells, and the temperature detection circuit has m temperature detection units. Each temperature detection units has a temperature sensor that is thermally coupled to one or more of the battery cells and whose electrical resistance decreases as the temperature of the battery cell or battery cells to which it is thermally coupled increases, a serial resistor that is connected in series with the temperature sensor, and a first diode whose cathode is connected to the node between the temperature sensor and the serial resistor. The serial circuit formed by the temperature sensor and the serial resistor receives a predetermined voltage such that, as the electrical resistance of the temperature sensor decreases, the voltage at the node decreases. The first diodes have anodes thereof connected together.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2005Publication date: September 22, 2005Inventors: Kazuhiro Seo, Kimihiko Furukawa, Isao Arai
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Patent number: 6919706Abstract: A voltage detecting circuit for a cell combination including one or more cell blocks having a plurality of cell modules connected to each other in series, including voltage detecting lines extending, respectively, from a plurality of voltage detecting points of the cell combination, of the lines is connected to the ground, and nongrounding voltage detecting lines are each interconnected through voltage branch lines to the grounding voltage detecting line. A voltage dividing resistor is interposed on each of the nongrounding voltage detecting lines and each of the voltage branch lines. Each of the nongrounding voltage detecting line is connected to a computing circuit via an analogue-digital converter. The computing circuit calculates voltage of each of cell modules based on voltage detecting data input from each of the nongrounding voltage detecting lines. Accordingly, the number of parts is reduced, voltage detecting accuracy is improved, and disconnection is reliably detected.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2002Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa
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Patent number: 6833708Abstract: In a power source device having a cell unit, a leak detecting circuit in which a line P and a line N extending from the cell are connected to each other by two P-side voltage dividing resistors and two N-side voltage dividing resistors, and the midpoint between the P-side resistors and N-side resistors is grounded. The line P and the line N are also connected to each other by first to third auxiliary voltage dividing resistors. The midpoint between the first and second auxiliary resistors and the midpoint between the P-side first and second resistors are connected to each other by a P-side voltage comparison circuit. The midpoint between the second and third auxiliary resistors and the midpoint between the N-side first and second resistors are connected to each other by an N-side voltage comparison circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2002Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa
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Patent number: 6828757Abstract: A charging rate adjusting circuit which comprises includes a serial line for connecting a plurality of cell blocks, a switch interposed on the line, a plurality of parallel lines for connecting a plurality of parallel connecting points each corresponding to in the cell blocks, switches each interposed on each of the lines, discharge circuits connected to a opposite electrodes of each of the cell modules, a voltage measuring circuit for detecting voltage across each of the cell modules, and a control circuit. The control circuit, in normal operation, sets on the switch and sets off all the switches, while, in adjustment, the circuit sets off the switch and sets on all the switches, and sets on the discharge operation of the circuit based on a detection result of the circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa
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Publication number: 20040041569Abstract: A voltage detecting circuit 2 for a cell combination comprising one or more cell blocks having a plurality of cell modules connected to each other in series, the circuit wherein voltage detecting lines 21 to 26 extend, respectively, from a plurality of voltage detecting points V1 to V6 of the cell combination 1, one of lines 23 is connected to the ground, and nongrounding voltage detecting lines are each interconnected through voltage branch lines 31 to 35 to the grounding voltage detecting line 23. A voltage dividing resistor is interposed on each of the nongrounding voltage detecting lines and each of the voltage branch lines. Each of the nongrounding voltage detecting line is connected to a computing circuit 5 via an analogue-digital converter 4. The computing circuit 5 calculates voltage of each of cell modules based on voltage detecting data input from each of the nongrounding voltage detecting lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Inventor: Kimihiko Furukawa