Patents by Inventor Kunio Kanamaru
Kunio Kanamaru 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: 9166261Abstract: A method for reusing a secondary battery by reusing unit cells or battery modules constituting reclaimed assembled batteries (or battery packs) to reconstruct a new assembled battery is disclosed. Assembled batteries are reclaimed, and disassembled into battery modules. The battery modules are selected based on battery characteristics such as an open-circuit voltage (OCV) and the like using an absolute acceptable range and a relative acceptable range, and a new assembled battery is rebuilt. The relative acceptable range is an acceptable range which is set for each assembled battery, and is set to have its center at an average value of a battery characteristic distribution.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2011Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuuichi Ibi, Kunio Kanamaru, Masahiro Iwamoto, Yasushi Matsukawa, Atsushi Ootaguro
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Patent number: 8809743Abstract: There are provided a heater with temperature detecting device capable of accurately detecting the temperature of a laminated sheet heater (the temperature of a heater element) by a temperature detecting device, a battery structure provided with this heater with temperature detecting device, and a heater unit. A first heater with temperature detecting device includes a first laminated sheet heater and a temperature detecting device. In this first heater, a first metal sheet includes a part protruding outward in a lamination direction of a laminated heater to provide at least part of an accommodation space in which the temperature detecting device is accommodated.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2008Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 8674702Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery includes an aluminum case, an electrolytic solution, a positive plate, a negative plate, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and voltage sensors. The positive terminal and the negative terminal project to the outside of the case while being insulated from the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the positive terminal and detects the potential of the positive terminal with respect to a potential VR of the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the negative terminal and detects the potential of the negative terminal with respect to the potential VR of the case. From the detected results, the states of the positive plate and the negative plate are separately detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2008Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirokazu Kawai, Yuichi Ibi, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 8367973Abstract: A heater with temperature detecting device, arranged to accurately detect the temperature of a laminated sheet heater over long periods, and a battery structure including the same. A first embodiment includes a laminated sheet heater and a temperature sensor having a temperature measuring portion. The laminated sheet heater includes first and second insulating resin films, a heater element, a first metal sheet, and a second metal sheet and includes a heater metallic section in which, any one of only the first metal sheet and only a combination of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet is arranged in a lamination layering direction of the laminated sheet heater. The temperature sensor is fastened to the heater metallic section with a flat rivet and fixed to an outer surface of the first metal sheet with the temperature measuring portion in contact with the first metal sheet.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2007Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Yuji Torii, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20110239445Abstract: A method for reusing a secondary battery by reusing unit cells or battery modules constituting reclaimed assembled batteries (or battery packs) to reconstruct a new assembled battery is disclosed. Assembled batteries are reclaimed, and disassembled into battery modules. The battery modules are selected based on battery characteristics such as an open-circuit voltage (OCV) and the like using an absolute acceptable range and a relative acceptable range, and a new assembled battery is rebuilt. The relative acceptable range is an acceptable range which is set for each assembled battery, and is set to have its center at an average value of a battery characteristic distribution.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: PRIMEARTH EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuuichi Ibi, Kunio Kanamaru, Masahiro Iwamoto, Yasushi Matsukawa, Atsushi Ootaguro
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Patent number: 7964827Abstract: There is provided a laminated sheet heater whose mounting space is small, a lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater that requires only a small mounting space and provides high reliability of electrical connection between a heater element and a lead wire, a heater-equipped battery structure provided with the laminated sheet heater or the lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater, and a heater unit. In a first lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater, a foil heater element includes a heater terminal portion protruding into a film void part in a planar direction of a laminated sheet heater. A lead core wire of a lead wire includes a lead terminal portion crimp-connected to a heater terminal portion by a crimping member so that the lead core wire is placed in contact with the surface of the heater terminal portion within a film void part in the planar direction of the laminated sheet heater.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Naoki Fukusako, Shuhei Marukawa, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 7947925Abstract: There are provided a heater unit and a battery structure with heater, which are capable of heating the battery structure appropriately and preventing a heater (part or whole of the heater) itself from excessively increasing in temperature. A first heater unit is provided with a first sheet heater, a first holding member holding it, and a first sheet placed between a lower surface of a first heater and the first holding member in such a manner as to be deformable in at least a direction of thickness of the first heater. The first heater is deformed when the first heater unit is fixed to the battery pack 50, thereby pressing the lower surface of the first heater to bring an upper surface of the first heater into close contact with an outer surface (a surface to be heated) of a spaced part of the battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Naoki Fukusako, Jun Okuda, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 7893652Abstract: The present invention can speedily and accurately estimate an SOC of a secondary battery immediately after a charge/discharge operation resumes. A determination unit determines whether a dormant period is longer than a predetermined time in response to an initiation of power supply from a secondary battery to a motor generator. The dormant period is equivalent to the duration from a previous stop of power supply to a present initiation of power supply. If the dormant period is longer than the predetermined time, a state-of-charge estimating unit sets an initial SOC based on a peak battery voltage drop ?Vs and a peak discharge current Is, wherein the peak battery voltage drop ?Vs represents a difference between a battery voltage Vo measured before initiating power supply and a lowest battery voltage Vs measured after initiating power supply and the peak discharge current Is represents a maximum current value measured after initiating power supply.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20100308834Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery includes an aluminum case, an electrolytic solution, a positive plate, a negative plate, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and voltage sensors. The positive terminal and the negative terminal project to the outside of the case while being insulated from the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the positive terminal and detects the potential of the positive terminal with respect to a potential VR of the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the negative terminal and detects the potential of the negative terminal with respect to the potential VR of the case. From the detected results, the states of the positive plate and the negative plate are separately detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2008Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Hirokazu Kawai, Yuichi Ibi, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 7843706Abstract: An inverter according to the invention includes an open circuit instructing device (ECU, Steps S5 to S8). The open circuit instructing device is for opening a switching circuit based on resistor inter-terminal voltage Vrb and resistor current Irb.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Tetsuya Mizoguchi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 7417521Abstract: Noise generated by driving a relay provided on a battery pack is suppressed. A negative relay is fixed onto top of a bottom face and an inner side surface of a lower case of the battery pack via multiple mounting points formed on an L-shaped fixture. The center of gravity of the negative relay is located within a polygon having the mounting points as vertices.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Makoto Umeda, Masahiro Misu, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080198897Abstract: There are provided a heater with temperature detecting device capable of accurately detecting the temperature of a laminated sheet heater (the temperature of a heater element) by a temperature detecting device, a battery structure provided with this heater with temperature detecting device, and a heater unit. A first heater with temperature detecting device includes a first laminated sheet heater and a temperature detecting device. In this first heater, a first metal sheet includes a part protruding outward in a lamination direction of a laminated heater to provide at least part of an accommodation space in which the temperature detecting device is accommodated.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2008Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080179315Abstract: There is provided a laminated sheet heater whose mounting space is small, a lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater that requires only a small mounting space and provides high reliability of electrical connection between a heater element and a lead wire, a heater-equipped battery structure provided with the laminated sheet heater or the lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater, and a heater unit. In a first lead wire-equipped laminated sheet heater, a foil heater element includes a heater terminal portion protruding into a film void part in a planar direction of a laminated sheet heater. A lead core wire of a lead wire includes a lead terminal portion crimp-connected to a heater terminal portion by a crimping member so that the lead core wire is placed in contact with the surface of the heater terminal portion within a film void part in the planar direction of the laminated sheet heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2008Publication date: July 31, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Naoki Fukusako, Shuhei Marukawa, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080150369Abstract: An inverter according to the invention includes an open circuit instructing device (ECU, Steps S5 to S8). The open circuit instructing device is for opening a switching circuit based on resistor inter-terminal voltage Vrb and resistor current Irb.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2007Publication date: June 26, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Tetsuya Mizoguchi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080093353Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a heater with temperature detecting device, arranged to accurately detect the temperature of a laminated sheet heater by use of a temperature detecting device over long periods, and a battery structure including the heater with temperature detecting device. A first heater with temperature detecting device includes a first laminated sheet heater and a temperature sensor having a temperature measuring portion. The first laminated heater is constituted of first and second insulating resin films, a heater element, a first metal sheet, and a second metal sheet and includes a heater metallic section in which, of the first insulating resin film, the second insulating resin film, the heater element, the first metal sheet, and the second metal sheet, any one of only the first metal sheet and only a combination of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet is arranged in a lamination direction of the laminated heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2007Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Yuji Torii, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080068116Abstract: Noise generated by driving a relay provided on a battery pack is suppressed. A negative relay is fixed onto top of a bottom face and an inner side surface of a lower case of the battery pack via multiple mounting points formed on an L-shaped fixture. The center of gravity of the negative relay is located within a polygon having the mounting points as vertices.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Makoto Umeda, Masahiro Misu, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080067162Abstract: There are provided a heater unit and a battery structure with heater, which are capable of heating the battery structure appropriately and preventing a heater (part or whole of the heater) itself from excessively increasing in temperature. A first heater unit is provided with a first sheet heater, a first holding member holding it, and a first sheet placed between a lower surface of a first heater and the first holding member in such a manner as to be deformable in at least a direction of thickness of the first heater. The first heater is deformed when the first heater unit is fixed to the battery pack 50, thereby pressing the lower surface of the first heater to bring an upper surface of the first heater into close contact with an outer surface (a surface to be heated) of a spaced part of the battery pack.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Naoki Fukusako, Jun Okuda, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Publication number: 20080053715Abstract: The present invention can speedily and accurately estimate an SOC of a secondary battery immediately after a charge/discharge operation resumes. A determination unit determines whether a dormant period is longer than a predetermined time in response to an initiation of power supply from a secondary battery to a motor generator. The dormant period is equivalent to the duration from a previous stop of power supply to a present initiation of power supply. If the dormant period is longer than the predetermined time, a state-of-charge estimating unit sets an initial SOC based on a peak battery voltage drop ?Vs and a peak discharge current Is, wherein the peak battery voltage drop ?Vs represents a difference between a battery voltage Vo measured before initiating power supply and a lowest battery voltage Vs measured after initiating power supply and the peak discharge current Is represents a maximum current value measured after initiating power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
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Patent number: 6501250Abstract: A device and method of input/output control capable of exhibiting the battery performance by nature by rapidly raising the temperature of the secondary battery by the regeneration at a low temperature. A temperature rise controller controls the temperature rise of the battery pack based on the battery temperature, thereby determining a central value of the state-of-charge control in the range of the state of charge. A battery input/output controller voluntarily controls the state of charge based on the central value of the state-of-charge control from the temperature rise controller and the state of charge at the point of time from the state-of-charge operator, and controls charge and discharge based on the charge and discharge request from the outside to the battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiji Bito, Yusai Murakami, Toshiaki Nakanishi, Kiwamu Inui, Kunio Kanamaru, Tadao Kimura, Masayoshi Iwase, Katsuhiko Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 6486637Abstract: A battery pack controlling apparatus for controlling input to or output from a battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes a plurality of blocks in series connection. Each of the plurality of blocks includes a plurality of batteries in series connection. The battery pack controlling apparatus includes: a battery power input/output section for controlling input and output of battery power to and from the battery pack; a block voltage detection section for detecting a block voltage of each of the plurality of blocks; a battery current detection section for detecting a battery current of the battery pack; an unusual heating detection section for detecting unusual heating of at least one of the plurality of batteries based on the block voltage and the battery current; and a vehicle controlling section for controlling the battery power input/output section based on results of unusual heating detection by the unusual heating detection section.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2000Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiaki Nakanishi, Masahiro Takada, Hirotaka Ishihara, Kiwamu Inui, Kunio Kanamaru, Yoshiaki Kikuchi