Patents by Inventor Masahiro Sekino
Masahiro Sekino 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: 11437834Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a positive and a negative electrode terminals; modules each including an assembled battery and a CMU, the assembled battery including cells, the CMU to detect a voltage and a temperature of the assembled battery; a main circuit for electrical connection between terminals of the modules and the positive and negative electrode terminals; a BMU to receive information about the voltage and the temperature from the respective CMU; a supply circuit to convert DC power from the main circuit and supply the converted power to the BMU; a breaker for interrupting the main circuit; and a circuit to block a current flowing through the main circuit in a direction of charging the modules, in response to a stop of a control signal from the BMU.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Kazuto Kuroda, Jun Takahashi, Yosuke Saeki, Ryo Okabe, Shinya Sato, Keita Nakata, Atsushi Inamura, Masahiro Sekino, Minoru Oota
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Patent number: 11289743Abstract: A battery module includes: a battery cell unit including a plurality of battery cells connected together in series or series-parallel; a cell monitoring unit configured to monitor temperatures and voltages of the battery cells; and a plurality of overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of n systems (n: an integer greater than or equal to 2). The overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of the n systems are configured to independently detect an overtemperature or an overvoltage of the battery cells as an abnormal state, and to mutually notify one another of results of the detection. Each of the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units is configured to, upon being notified that the abnormal state is detected from another overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit of another system in the battery module, operate on the assumption that the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit detects the abnormal state.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Kazuto Kuroda, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Norihiro Kaneko, Ryo Okabe, Yusuke Kikuchi, Yosuke Saeki, Makoto Noguchi
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Publication number: 20220059883Abstract: A storage battery device includes: a cell unit including a plurality of battery cells; an electric flow path material that forms a current path through which electric power is supplied from or to the battery cells; and a radiator thermally coupled to the current-path member.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Akio NISHIMAKI, Hideo YAMASAKI, Teruyoshi KOGURE, Yosuke SAEKI
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Patent number: 11114877Abstract: A device according to an embodiment includes at least one assembled battery; first switches that switch an electrical connection state of main circuits connected between the assembled battery and the load; second switches that switch an electrical connection state of second main circuits branched from the main circuits and are connected between the assembled battery and the load; a BMU that controls operations of the first switches based on an operation command supplied from the load; and a power supply circuit that supplies power to the BMU and second switches when a start command supplied from the outside is ON.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yusuke Kikuchi, Hidenori Suzuki, Kazuto Kuroda, Atsushi Inamura, Masahiro Sekino
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Patent number: 10903463Abstract: A battery pack includes a casing, a plurality of battery cells, and a first connector, for example. The casing includes a first outer wall and a protrusion that is provided on the first outer wall and protrudes outward from the first outer wall. The battery cells include an electrode terminal and are housed in the casing. The first connector is provided on the protrusion and is electrically connected to the electrode terminal.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Norio Shimizu, Toshinori Uchida, Kazuto Kuroda, Masahiro Sekino
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Publication number: 20210006084Abstract: A device according to an embodiment includes at least one assembled battery; first switches that switch an electrical connection state of main circuits connected between the assembled battery and the load; second switches that switch an electrical connection state of second main circuits branched from the main circuits and are connected between the assembled battery and the load; a BMU that controls operations of the first switches based on an operation command supplied from the load; and a power supply circuit that supplies power to the BMU and second switches when a start command supplied from the outside is ON.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yusuke KIKUCHI, Hidenori SUZUKI, Kazuto KURODA, Atsushi INAMURA, Masahiro SEKINO
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Patent number: 10790553Abstract: According to one embodiment, a wiring diagnostic apparatus of embodiments includes a counter, an acquirer, and an abnormality determiner. The counter counts the number of battery modules connected to a plurality of first communication lines to which a plurality of battery modules are connected to form a communication channel for each of the first communication lines. The acquirer acquires identification information for identifying a battery module connected to a corresponding second communication line among battery modules connected to a plurality of second communication lines each forming a communication channel with a first communication line via the second communication line. The abnormality determiner determines an abnormality in a wiring relationship of the first communication line or the second communication line on the basis of the number of battery modules counted by the counter and identification information acquired by the acquirer.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2018Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Ryo Okabe, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Norihiro Kaneko, Yusuke Kikuchi, Kazuto Kuroda, Makoto Noguchi
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Patent number: 10727460Abstract: A battery pack includes a first casing, a plurality of battery cells, and a second screw, for example. The first casing is supported by a support member and includes an insulating first outer wall. The battery cells are housed in the first casing. The first outer wall is provided with a second screw that is connectable to a first screw. The first casing is supported by the support member with the first screw fitted into the second screw, placing the support member in-between the first screw and the second screw.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Toshinori Uchida, Norio Shimizu, Kazuto Kuroda, Masahiro Sekino
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Publication number: 20200212697Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a positive and a negative electrode terminals; modules each including an assembled battery and a CMU, the assembled battery including cells, the CMU to detect a voltage and a temperature of the assembled battery; a main circuit for electrical connection between terminals of the modules and the positive and negative electrode terminals; a BMU to receive information about the voltage and the temperature from the respective CMU; a supply circuit to convert DC power from the main circuit and supply the converted power to the BMU; a breaker for interrupting the main circuit; and a circuit to block a current flowing through the main circuit in a direction of charging the modules, in response to a stop of a control signal from the BMU.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2020Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Kazuto KURODA, Jun TAKAHASHI, Yosuke SAEKI, Ryo OKABE, Shinya SATO, Keita NAKATA, Atsushi INAMURA, Masahiro SEKINO, Minoru OOTA
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Patent number: 10581238Abstract: A storage battery device includes a battery unit, a first circuit breaker, a second circuit breaker, and a control unit. The first circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a first-electrode side of the battery unit and an external device. The second circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a second-electrode side of the battery unit and the external device. The control unit supplies power to the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in sequence with the power supplied to the second circuit breaker offset relative to the power supplied to the first circuit breaker by a time period equal to or longer than a time difference required for a sum of currents flowing through the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker to reach an upper bound current that is set as an upper bound of a current.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructutre Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Yusuke Kikuchi, Takayuki Onoda, Kazuto Kuroda, Masahiro Sekino, Jun Takahashi
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Patent number: 10553845Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery module includes a plurality of batteries and a module housing. The module housing accommodates the plurality of batteries. The module housing is configured by connecting a plurality of cases in a first direction. At least one of the plurality of cases includes a vacuum pad adsorption region which is on an end surface in a second direction intersecting the first direction and on which a vacuum pad is adsorbable.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Makoto Nagasato, Tatsumi Matsuo, Norio Shimizu, Masafumi Ebisawa, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino
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Patent number: 10525835Abstract: A power control apparatus according to an embodiment includes acquisition circuitry and determination circuitry. The acquisition circuitry is configured to acquire a voltage of a secondary battery during charging. The determination circuitry is configured to determine a maximum current to be used during charging of the secondary battery using a difference between an upper limit voltage and the acquired voltage.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Sonoka Ikeda, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Kazuto Kuroda, Osamu Yamazaki
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Patent number: 10442374Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle-use storage battery system includes a storage battery, a main circuit, a circuit breaker, a storage battery management unit, a first determiner, and a second determiner. The main circuit is electrically connected to the storage battery. The circuit breaker is disposed between the storage battery and the main circuit to make or break the electrical connection therebetween. The storage battery management unit manages an operating state of the storage battery. The first determiner determines whether to break the electrical connection between the storage battery and the main circuit by means of the circuit breaker. The second determiner determines, on the basis of at least one of operating states of the storage battery management unit, the first determiner, and the circuit breaker, whether to break the electrical connection between the storage battery and the main circuit by means of the circuit breaker.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2014Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Atsumi Kondo, Kazuto Kuroda, Tatsuya Arai, Masaki Sato, Akinobu Nishikawa, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Hideaki Yasui, Mai Honda, Masahiro Kurosu, Kotaro Ogawa, Tomonao Takamatsu, Mitsunobu Yoshida, Takafumi Nakahama, Akihiko Ujiie
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Patent number: 10367359Abstract: A power control apparatus according to an embodiment includes an acquisition unit and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires information relating to a voltage and an electric current of a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery during charging/discharging. The determination unit determines a maximum current of the secondary battery during charging on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition unit so that the voltage of the secondary battery does not exceed a predetermined voltage.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Sonoka Ikeda, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Osamu Yamazaki, Kazuto Kuroda
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Patent number: 10340564Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicular storage battery device includes a housing, battery boxes, and a common cooling passage. The battery boxes are disposed in the housing. Each of the battery boxes houses an electric cell as a vehicle power source and includes a heat transporting part transporting heat generated in the battery box to outside of the battery box. The common cooling passage is disposed in the housing. The common cooling passage is provided with an inlet for taking in a fluid and an outlet for discharging the fluid having passed through the passage. The inlet and the outlet are open in a direction different from a traveling direction of the vehicle. The heat transporting part of each of the battery boxes is exposed to inside of the passage.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Akinobu Nishikawa, Shigeki Kono, Masaki Sato, Tatsuya Arai, Kotaro Ogawa, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Kazuto Kuroda, Hideaki Yasui, Mai Honda, Tomonao Takamatsu, Mitsunobu Yoshida, Takafumi Nakahama, Akihiko Ujiie, Atsumi Kondo, Masahiro Kurosu
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Publication number: 20190089147Abstract: A storage battery device includes a battery unit, a first circuit breaker, a second circuit breaker, and a control unit. The first circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a first-electrode side of the battery unit and an external device. The second circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a second-electrode side of the battery unit and the external device. The control unit supplies power to the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in sequence with the power supplied to the second circuit breaker offset relative to the power supplied to the first circuit breaker by a time period equal to or longer than a time difference required for a sum of currents flowing through the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker to reach an upper bound current that is set as an upper bound of a current.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2016Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Ryo OKABE, Norihiro KANEKO, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Takayuki ONODA, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Jun TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20190079119Abstract: A storage battery management device includes a connector, storage, a drive voltage controller, a determiner, and a current sensor controller. The connector is connectable to a current sensor. The storage stores current sensor information including an output range of normal output values and each current-sensor type indicating a type of a current sensor connectable to the connector in association with each other. The drive voltage controller causes a current to flow through a current sensor while varying a voltage to be applied to the current sensor. The determiner determines, based on whether an output value that is received via the connector from the current sensor falls in the output range corresponding to the current-sensor type, the current-sensor type of the current sensor connected to the connector. The current sensor controller controls the current sensor in accordance with the determined current-sensor type.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2016Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Norihiro KANEKO, Ryo OKABE, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Takayuki ONODA, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Jun TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20190081292Abstract: A battery pack includes a casing, a plurality of battery cells, and a first connector, for example. The casing includes a first outer wall and a protrusion that is provided on the first outer wall and protrudes outward from the first outer wall. The battery cells include an electrode terminal and are housed in the casing. The first connector is provided on the protrusion and is electrically connected to the electrode terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2016Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicants: Kabushi Kaisha Toshiba, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Norio SHIMIZU, Toshinori UCHIDA, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO
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Publication number: 20190074556Abstract: A storage battery device includes: first and second battery systems including a plurality of first and second battery modules and a plurality of first and second monitoring units detecting module information that is information related to the battery modules, and respectively having first and second identification information; and a battery management unit configured to receive a lower-level communication frame containing the monitoring identification information and the module information from the monitoring units, and transmit, to an upper-level device of the battery management unit, an upper-level communication frame that contains individual identification information assigned to each of the monitoring units based on system identification information assigned to the battery systems, and the monitoring identification information, that also contains the module information detected by the first or the second monitoring unit corresponding to the individual identification information, and that has a larger dataType: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2016Publication date: March 7, 2019Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Takayuki ONODA, Ryo OKABE, Norihiro KENEKO, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Jun TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20190074492Abstract: A battery pack includes a first casing, a plurality of battery cells, and a second screw, for example. The first casing is supported by a support member and includes an insulating first outer wall. The battery cells are housed in the first casing. The first outer wall is provided with a second screw that is connectable to a first screw. The first casing is supported by the support member with the first screw fitted into the second screw, placing the support member in-between the first screw and the second screw.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2016Publication date: March 7, 2019Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Toshinori UCHIDA, Norio SHIMIZU, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO