Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery pack including a plurality of battery units includes: a first step of charging the battery units with a first electric current at a first rate until an internal pressure of at least one of the plurality of battery units begins to increase; and a second step of charging/discharging the battery units with a second electric current which is lower than the first electric current at a second rate which is lower than the first rate after the internal pressure of the at least one of the plurality of battery units has begun to increase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of replacing secondary batteries. In the method, batteries can be replaced at a low cost and performance of an overall battery assembly can be maximized after the battery replacement. The battery assembly is composed by electrically connecting a plurality of secondary batteries in series or in parallel. When a portion of the secondary batteries is judged as defective, the defective batteries are replaced by replacement batteries. In an aspect of the method, voltage is detected for every predetermined voltage detection block unit concerning secondary batteries composing the battery assembly in order to judge defects of the secondary batteries in the voltage detection block unit. Batteries in a voltage detection block unit will be replaced with replacement batteries if they are judged as defective.

Abstract: A device and method is provided that can detect overcharge reliably by separating heat generated by internal resistance and heat chemically generated upon overcharging in a secondary battery. Based on the temperature of the secondary battery detected every first predetermined time by a battery temperature detection section, a temperature gradient operation section calculates a temperature gradient indicating a temperature increase per unit time for every second predetermined time that is longer than the first predetermined time. When a temperature gradient determination section determines that the temperature gradient is larger than a predetermined temperature gradient threshold, which is preset according to the charged state of the secondary battery, N times in a row (where N is a natural number), a fully charged state of the secondary battery is detected.

Abstract: A battery assembly system used for an electric vehicle having a configuration in which electrolyte is not released from an exhaust passage even if the electrolyte is released in a mist state from a cell. A battery assembly case is provided behind a rear seat in a cabin. An exhaust duct having a cooling fan is connected to the battery assembly case, and an air inlet port is provided to the battery assembly case at the side opposite to the portion where the exhaust duct is connected. As the cooling fan, a sirocco fan or an axial-flow fan is used. The air for forcibly cooling the battery assembly is allowed to flow in the cabin, the air inlet port, the battery assembly case, the exhaust duct, the cooling fan, and the exhaust duct in this order. A mist state electrolyte released from the cell together with the air is allowed to collide with and is attached to a cascade of the fan or the wall surface of the fan.

Abstract: A method for detecting an abnormal cell in a battery system, wherein: the battery system includes a plurality of blocks serially connected together; each of the plurality of blocks includes a plurality of cells serially connected together and the method includes: a first step of detecting a block voltage for each of the plurality of blocks and detecting a current of the battery system; a second step of calculating a charge/discharge electric power for each of the plurality of blocks based on the block voltage and the current; a third step of determining whether or not a value of the current is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value; a fourth step of determining whether or not a difference of the charge/discharge electric power between at least any two of the plurality of blocks is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value; and a fifth step of detecting a block including an abnormal cell based on determination results from the third step and the fourth step.

Abstract: Method for determining a determination voltage (end of discharge voltage) of a secondary battery having a nickel-hydroxide positive electrode based on the state of charge of the battery. The end of discharge voltage is determined in consideration of the voltages when the state of charge reaches a permissible lower limit after first and subsequent discharges of the battery. The voltage at which the state of charge reaches the lower limit for discharges after the first discharge gradually decreases due to a memory effect. As a result, the end of discharge voltage is lower than the voltage at which the state of charge reaches the lower limit after the first discharge.

Abstract: A method for detecting a minor short in at least one of a plurality of cells of a battery pack includes: a first step of measuring a voltage of at least one of the plurality of cells in a process of charging the battery pack; a second step of measuring a voltage of the at least one of the plurality of cells in a process of discharging the battery pack; and a third step of detecting the minor short in the at least one of the plurality of cells based on measurement results from the first step and the second step.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electric vehicle, which enables the installed battery to be replaced with many kinds of batteries and having high reliability and economical properties. The electric vehicle comprises: a driving unit for driving the electric vehicle with an electricity; a vehicle controller for controlling the driving unit; a battery unit for supplying an electric power to the driving unit; and a battery charger for charging the battery unit, the battery unit being provided with plural secondary batteries and means for monitoring the state of the secondary batteries thereby to issue a signal to the vehicle controller based on the obtained information from the secondary batteries.

Abstract: A power source has a battery pack housing a plurality of interconnected battery modules wherein a plurality of single cells are connected serially. A blower is provided which forces air through the battery pack to maintain the battery modules at a correct temperature. A controller controls the blower in accordance with data provided by sensors which detect voltage, current and temperature. The controller outputs the data and a state of charge. A charging/discharging current circuit includes a relay for interrupting charging and discharging of the battery modules in the event of failure and also includes a rush current prevention resistor and a current sensor. The controller permits the power source to be maintained in a correct operating condition wherein neither overcharging nor undercharging occurs.

Abstract: Differential amplifiers (2) are provided to each of the batteries (1) for obtaining output voltages corresponding to the two terminal voltages of each battery (1). These differential amplifiers (2) are divided into groups (5) of a suitable number, and for each group (5), mutually insulated ground terminals (6) and mutually insulated control power sources (7) are provided. Each control power source (7) is connected between the power source terminal (2a) of each differential amplifier (2) and each ground terminal (6) of the respective group (5).

Abstract: Variation of the charged amount among battery blocks composing a battery assembly is detected. By subtracting the detected value of the variation from the width between the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the charged amount, the movable range of the charged amount is found. The position of the present charged amount is detected as the state of charge. For example, it is arranged that both ends of the movable range are 0% and 100%, and that the movable range is the full scale. Then, the position of the charged amount on this scale is specified by the ratio %. The detection of the state of charge in which the variation in charged amount and the change of the movable range are considered, is performed, and on the basis of this state of charge, a preferable charge and discharge control is performed.

Abstract: The charge and discharge are performed by a proper electric power corresponding to the service environment of a battery and the state of the battery. When the temperature of the battery is not more than a specified temperature, or not less than another specified temperature, the upper limit value Pin-s of the charging electric power and the upper limit value Pout-s of the discharging electric power are determined so as to be smaller than those at a normal temperature. The temperature of the battery is detected, and the charging electric power and the discharging electric power are determined so that they may be not more than the upper limit values Pin-s, Pout-s of the charging and the discharging electric power at this temperature, and the charge control of the battery is performed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus, more particularly to an improvement of a power supply apparatus provided with a plurality of secondary batteries connected serially, as well as a control of charging and discharging of the secondary batteries to suppress an accelerative deterioration of the secondary battery. The present invention provides to a control unit with a function for stopping the charging when the charged amount in charging becomes larger than the predetermined value, another function for changing the initial set value to a larger value when a variance in the charging capacity among the secondary batteries in charging becomes larger than the predetermined value.

Abstract: In a sound volume setting device for a portable telephone which can exchange messages through a public base station and which can exchange messages through a home telephone as a base station, a service detector for detecting whether the portable telephone is under the service of a public base station or under the service of a base station of a home telephone is provided so as to always search the service state, and adjust the amplifications of an amplifier for a receiving speaker and an amplifier for a calling speaker automatically using an operating portion, to thereby set the volumes of a calling sound and a receiving speech sound at proper values in accordance with the service state.

Abstract: The voltage of each of battery block of a battery is detected by a voltage sensor. Further, the temperature of the battery is detected by a temperature sensor. These detected values are supplied to a detecting section of a battery ECU. A judging section reads out the threshold value of the voltage stored in a memory, on the basis of the detected values of temperature, and compares the threshold value of the voltage with the detected voltage of each of the battery blocks. Then, if at least any one is less than the threshold value of the voltage, a relay is turned off. Furthermore, the threshold value of the voltage is arranged to be the voltage at the moment when the value of the current is suddenly increased by the discharge of a constant current of the battery.

Abstract: A printing paper for thermal transfer printing comprising a substrate, and a dye acceptor layer formed on one surface of the substrate to accept a sublimable dye transferred from a dye carrier ribbon in contact with the dye acceptor layer upon selective heating of the dye carrier ribbon. The dye acceptor layer has a cumulative pore volume of 0.2 to 0.6 cm.sup.3 /g and contains a pigment in the form of particles whose median particle diameter of from 0.2 to 2 .mu.m. In particular, the dye acceptor layer is made of a coating of a resinous binder uniformly dispersing a pigment therein, the coating being impregnated with a resin having good affinity for the sublimable dye.

Abstract: An apparatus for an assembly line for assembling articles comprising a moving table, an operating unit disposed near the table having a member movable in two directions, at least one Bowden cable having a wire therein, one end of the wire being connected to the member, and a pulling mechanism to which the other end of the wire is connected. The return of the wire can be accomplished by a return spring on the member or by a second cable wire pulled by the pulling mechanism. Multiple units can be powered and controlled around the same table by one pulling mechanism.