Abstract: Upon receiving a setting signal S1, each of a plurality of monitoring units transmits the first setting signal to the subsequent monitoring unit or a control unit, and in a case when it is not possible to receive the first setting signal, the monitoring unit transmits a second setting signal, which indicates an occurrence of a communication abnormality, to the subsequent monitoring unit or the control unit, and when receiving the second setting signal, it changes the received second setting signal so as to transmit the changed second setting signal to the subsequent monitoring unit or the control unit, while the control unit identifies the occurrence location of a communication abnormality in accordance with second setting signal transmitted from the last monitoring unit.

Abstract: A fireproof structure includes: a first heat-absorbing material that includes an inorganic porous formed body that has absorbed water, or a second heat-absorbing material that includes particles that include magnesium phosphate hydrate and a binder; and a fibrous heat-insulating material that includes inorganic fibers having a shrinkage ratio of 5% or less when allowed to stand at 1,100° C. for 24 hours.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of monitoring units, when identification information is not set for it, transmits, to a subsequent monitoring unit or a control unit, a fixed unset signal that indicates that identification information has not been set for it, regardless of signal transmitted from the previous monitoring unit or the control unit, and the control unit, upon receiving the unset signal transmitted from a last monitoring unit, shifts to an identification information setting process.

Abstract: A method and a device are provided for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery. Transient characteristics are generated that represent a correlation between the remaining capacity and a closed circuit voltage, the correlation transitioning from one of a charging-side and a discharging-side characteristic to the other when the charging/discharging of the battery has been switched, on the basis of map data of a charging-side characteristic that is only conducted from a fully-discharged to a fully-charged state and a discharging-side characteristic that is only conducted from the fully-charged to the fully-discharged state, the characteristics representing a correlation between the remaining capacity and the Closed Circuit Voltage of the battery. When charging and discharging of the battery have been switched, the remaining capacity of the battery is estimated from the Closed Circuit Voltage of the battery by using the transient characteristics until polarization of the battery enters a saturated state.

Abstract: Upon receiving a setting signal S1, each of a plurality of monitoring units transmits the first setting signal to the subsequent monitoring unit or a control unit, and in a case when it is not possible to receive the first setting signal, the monitoring unit transmits a second setting signal, which indicates an occurrence of a communication abnormality, to the subsequent monitoring unit or the control unit, and when receiving the second setting signal, it changes the received second setting signal so as to transmit the changed second setting signal to the subsequent monitoring unit or the control unit, while the control unit identifies the occurrence location of a communication abnormality in accordance with second setting signal transmitted from the last monitoring unit.

Abstract: A battery monitoring device is configured to include a monitoring unit that monitors a state of a battery, an interrupter that interrupts a power supply to a load, and another interrupter that interrupts a power supply to the interrupter, wherein the monitoring unit controls an operation of the interrupter such that a power supply to the load is interrupted, and controls an operation of the other interrupter such that a power supply to the interrupter is interrupted.

Abstract: A battery monitoring device is configured to include a monitoring unit that transmits state information that indicates a state of a battery and that interrupts, using an interrupter, a power supply from a battery to a load upon receiving a power-interruption request or when a power supply to the monitoring unit is interrupted, and a controller that transmits a power-interruption request to the monitoring unit upon determining, on the basis of the state information transmitted from the monitoring unit, that an anomaly has occurred in the battery, wherein the controller interrupts, using an interrupter, a power supply to the monitoring unit upon determining that a communication anomaly has occurred between the monitoring unit and the controller, or that an anomaly has occurred in the monitoring unit.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of monitoring units, when identification information is not set for it, transmits, to a subsequent monitoring unit or a control unit, a fixed unset signal that indicates that identification information has not been set for it, regardless of signal transmitted from the previous monitoring unit or the control unit, and the control unit, upon receiving the unset signal transmitted from a last monitoring unit, shifts to an identification information setting process etc.

Abstract: A method for detecting an abnormality in a relay that can detect that a module relay is inoperative is provided. In a method for detecting an abnormality in a relay in a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules connected in parallel to each other and comprising a main relay and module relays, the main relay is shut off if it is determined that a current is flowing in a battery module for which the module relay is not shut off and a current is flowing in a battery module for which the module relay is shut off.

Abstract: A battery control unit system is provided that detects a state of a battery used for driving a vehicle and monitors the state of the battery on the basis of detected information so as to control a circuit device surrounding the battery according to a result of the monitoring. The battery control unit system may include an internal power source that is connected directly in parallel with the battery and that supplies power to the battery control unit system, and a microcontroller that operates using the internal power source and detects, by a software process, an on/off-state of a battery pack switch that is provided in a battery pack including the battery and the battery control unit system.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of monitoring units (10) that monitor the states of batteries allocates, as identifying information for itself, identifying information corresponding to an input signal inputted from a preceding control unit (3) or monitoring unit (10); outputs, to a subsequent monitoring unit (10), a signal that differs from the input signal corresponding to the identifying information the monitoring unit (10) in question has allocated to itself; and, if and when identifying information corresponding to an input signal differs from the identifying information the monitoring unit (10) in question had allocated to itself, reallocates identifying information corresponding to said input signal as identifying information for itself.

Abstract: A state-of-charge estimation device includes a transition estimation unit, when a transition from a charge mode to a discharge mode starts, which starts current integration by use of a measured current and obtains a second state of charge by use of a first state of charge at the start of the transition and a current integration value, so as to estimate that the second state of charge is a state of charge upon transition until a target state of charge is reached that is determined by a current integration value obtained for a predetermined time period after the start of the transition, and/or when a transition from a discharge mode to a charge mode starts, which starts current integration by use of a measured current and obtains a sixth state of charge by use of a third state of charge at the start of the transition and a current integration value.

Abstract: A method and a device are provided for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery. Transient characteristics are generated that represent a correlation between the remaining capacity and a closed circuit voltage, the correlation transitioning from one of a charging-side and a discharging-side characteristic to the other when the charging/discharging of the battery has been switched, on the basis of map data of a charging-side characteristic that is only conducted from a fully-discharged to a fully-charged state and a discharging-side characteristic that is only conducted from the fully-charged to the fully-discharged state, the characteristics representing a correlation between the remaining capacity and the Closed Circuit Voltage of the battery. When charging and discharging of the battery have been switched, the remaining capacity of the battery is estimated from the Closed Circuit Voltage of the battery by using the transient characteristics until polarization of the battery enters a saturated state.

Abstract: A state-of-charge estimation device and method are provided that estimate a state of charge in a battery having a large polarization, requiring a long time for depolarization, and having a large charge/discharge hysteresis in its SOC-OCV characteristics. The state-of-charge estimation device includes a voltage measuring unit which measures a closed circuit voltage in a battery, a charge estimation unit which estimates a state of charge in a charge mode by referring to charge mode information that associates a closed circuit voltage with a state of charge in the battery, and a discharge estimation unit which estimates a state of charge in a discharge mode by referring to discharge mode information that associates a closed circuit voltage generated by use of a discharge pattern of the battery with a state of charge in the battery by use of the measured closed circuit voltage.

Abstract: The present application relates to a vehicle and a method of limiting a vehicle speed during evacuation running designed to prevent a normal battery block from being overcharged by regenerative electric power during evacuation running, in which a vehicle driven by a parallely connected battery blocks runs under a condition in which some abnormal battery blocks are separated. The method may include determining whether a vehicle is performing evacuation running, calculating receivable regenerative electric power for the battery blocks used for running of the vehicle, calculating a limit speed of the vehicle according to the receivable regenerative electric power, and limiting the speed of the vehicle to the limit speed or to a speed lower than the limit speed.

Abstract: A joining link, a strut, and first and second expansion levers constitute an expansion and contraction device. At the time of the braking, the proximal end portion of both of the expansion levers are mutually pressed from the opposite sides by first and second pressing members constituting a driving device. The reaction due to the braking is offset by the joining link portion, whereby a large force is not applied to the back plate or the like.

Abstract: A plate member is adapted to be electrically grounded. A first radiating electrode opposes the plate member with a gap and extending parallel to the plate member. A second radiating electrode opposes the plate member with a gap and extending parallel to the plate member. A feeding pin is connected to a center part of the first radiating electrode and a center part of the second radiating electrode. The feeding pin is adapted to feed power to the first radiating electrode and the second radiating electrode. A pair of first short-circuiting pins are electrically connecting the plate member and an outer edge of the first radiating electrode at symmetrical positions relative to the feeding pin. A pair of second short-circuiting pins are electrically connecting the plate member and both ends of the second radiating electrode. The first radiating electrode is formed with blank portions which are located at such positions that are on hypothetical straight lines connecting the feeding pin and the short pins.

Abstract: A plate member is adapted to be electrically grounded. A first radiating electrode opposes the plate member with a gap and extending parallel to the plate member. A second radiating electrode opposes the plate member with a gap and extending parallel to the plate member. A feeding pin is connected to a center part of the first radiating electrode and a center part of the second radiating electrode. The feeding pin is adapted to feed power to the first radiating electrode and the second radiating electrode. A pair of first short-circuiting pins are electrically connecting the plate member and an outer edge of the first radiating electrode at symmetrical positions relative to the feeding pin. A pair of second short-circuiting pins are electrically connecting the plate member and both ends of the second radiating electrode. The first radiating electrode is formed with blank portions which are located at such positions that are on hypothetical straight lines connecting the feeding pin and the short pins.

Abstract: An air-cooled engine is hung and fixed under a rear part of a backbone of a body frame. The engine is disposed so that the center axis of a cylinder in its cylinder block extends approximately horizontally and so that its cylinder head is directed toward the front. A fuel injection device is located between an intake valve and an intake port in the cylinder head. An injection nozzle of the fuel injection device and an intake valve opening are placed at a short distance. While the vehicle is idling or running at low speed, the vicinity of the tip of an injector of the fuel injection device is cooled by assist air supplied from a throttle body through a secondary passage, and when the vehicle runs normally or at high speed, the fuel injection device is cooled by the wind that hits the cylinder head.

Abstract: An air-cooled engine is hung and fixed under a rear part of a backbone of a body frame. The engine is disposed so that the center axis of a cylinder in its cylinder block extends approximately horizontally and so that its cylinder head is directed toward the front. A fuel injection device is located between an intake valve and an intake port in the cylinder head. An injection nozzle of the fuel injection device and an intake valve opening are placed at a short distance. While the vehicle is idling or running at low speed, the vicinity of the tip of an injector of the fuel injection device is cooled by assist air supplied from a throttle body through a secondary passage, and when the vehicle runs normally or at high speed, the fuel injection device is cooled by the wind that hits the cylinder head.