Electrical storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577458-B2
Application number	US-201314425492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2013
Priority date	Dec 3, 2012
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

An electrical storage system includes: an electrical storage device ( 10 ) including serially connected electrical storage blocks; a relay (SMR-B, SMR-G) switching a connection state between the electrical storage device and a load; a controller ( 30, 34 ) controlling the relay; and a current interruption circuit ( 60 ) interrupting energization of the electrical storage device. The current interruption circuit ( 60 ) includes an alarm circuit ( 63 ) outputting an alarm signal indicating that any one electrical storage block is overcharged or overdischarged by comparing a voltage value of each electrical storage block with a threshold; a latch circuit ( 64 ) retaining the alarm signal; and a transistor ( 68 ) causing the relay to switch from an on state to an off state upon reception of a latch circuit output signal. The controller determines an energization state of the electrical storage device after executing control for causing the alarm circuit to output the alarm signal by changing the voltage value or the threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical storage system comprising:
an electrical storage device in which a plurality of electrical storage blocks are connected in series with each other, each of the plurality of electrical storage blocks including at least one electrical storage element configured to be charged or discharged;
a plurality of capacitors each connected in parallel with a corresponding one of the electrical storage blocks and each configured to output a voltage value of the corresponding one of the electrical storage blocks;
a relay configured to switch between an on state where the relay connects the electrical storage device to a load and an off state where the relay interrupts connection of the electrical storage device with the load;
a controller configured to control the relay so as to cause the relay to switch between the on or off state; and
a current interruption circuit configured to interrupt energization of the electrical storage device by causing the relay to switch from the on state to the off state, wherein:
the current interruption circuit includes
an alarm circuit configured to output an alarm signal indicating that at least any one of the electrical storage blocks is in an overcharged state by comparing an input voltage value of each electrical storage block input from the capacitors with a threshold,
a latch circuit configured to retain the alarm signal; and

a transistor configured to cause the relay to switch from the on state to the off state upon reception of an output signal of the latch circuit, and
the controller is configured to execute control for causing the alarm circuit to output the alarm signal by charging one of the capacitors using an output of a plurality of the electrical storage blocks and then determine an energization state of the electrical storage device, the alarm signal indicating that at least any one of the electrical storage blocks is in an overcharged state.

2. The electrical storage system according to claim 1 , wherein when the electrical storage device is in an energized state after control for outputting the alarm signal is executed, the controller is configured to determine that the current interruption circuit is in an abnormal state.

3. The electrical storage system according to claim 1 , wherein when the electrical storage device is in a non-energized state after control for outputting the alarm signal is executed, the controller is configured to determine that the current interruption circuit is in a normal state.

4. The electrical storage system according to claim 1 , characterized in that
the controller is configured to determine the energization state of the electrical storage device using at least one of an output of a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage value of the electrical storage device and an output of a current sensor configured to detect a current value of the electrical storage device.

5. The electrical storage system according to claim 1 , characterized by further comprising:
a plurality of first switches each of which connects a corresponding one of the electrical storage blocks to a corresponding one of the capacitors; and
a plurality of bypass circuits each connected in parallel with a corresponding one of the capacitors and each including a second switch, wherein
the controller is configured to charge one of the capacitors using an output of a plurality of the electrical storage blocks through drive control over the first switches and the second switches.

6. An electrical storage system comprising:
an electrical storage device in which a plurality of electrical storage blocks are connected in series with each other, each of the plurality of electrical storage blocks including at least one electrical storage element configured to be charged or discharged;
a relay configured to switch between an on state where the relay connects the electrical storage device to a load and an off state where the relay interrupts connection of the electrical storage device with the load;
a controller configured to control the relay so as to cause the relay to switch between the on or off state; and
a current interruption circuit configured to interrupt energization of the electrical storage device by causing the relay to switch from the on state to the off state; wherein
the current interruption circuit includes
an alarm circuit configured to output an alarm signal indicating that at least any one of the electrical storage blocks is in an overdischarged state by comparing an input voltage value of each electrical storage block with a threshold,
a latch circuit configured to retain the alarm signal; and
a transistor configured to cause the relay to switch from the on state to the off state upon reception of an output signal of the latch circuit,

the electrical storage system further comprising:
a discharge circuit connected in parallel with the electrical storage blocks via corresponding lines branched off from lines that connect the corresponding electrical storage blocks to the current interruption circuit, and configured to discharge each of the electrical storage blocks by operating a corresponding one of third switches, wherein
the controller is configured to execute control for outputting the alarm signal indicating the overdischarged state by decreasing the voltage value input to the alarm circuit by allowing any one of the electrical storage blocks to be discharged to the discharge circuit through drive control over the corresponding third switch of the discharge circuit, and then determine an energization state of the electrical storage device.

7. The electrical storage system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of capacitors each connected in parallel with a corresponding one of the electrical storage blocks and each configured to output the voltage value of the corresponding one of the electrical storage blocks to the alarm circuit, wherein
the discharge circuit is connected in parallel with the capacitors.

Assignees

• Kaita Keiji
• Nishi Yuji
• Tanabe Yukinari
• Tanaka Hiromasa
• Ito Motoi
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kaita Keiji
• Nishi Yuji
• Tanabe Yukinari
• Tanaka Hiromasa
• Ito Motoi

Classifications

• H02J7/345

  using capacitors as storage or buffering devices · CPC title

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title

• H02J7/63

  against overdischarge · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title

• H02J7/52

  for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries · CPC title