Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-26
2001-12-04
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
C320S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326768
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a battery pack, a power source apparatus, and a charging and discharging method, in which a parallel construction and a serial construction of a plurality of secondary batteries can be switched by using switching circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
A construction such that a plurality of secondary batteries which can be charged and used again are serially arranged and used as a power source of electronic equipment is generally known. In this instance, there is a case where characteristics of a plurality of secondary batteries which are serially arranged, for example, capacities of the secondary batteries are different. If the secondary batteries having different characteristics are charged in a state where they are serially arranged, the secondary battery which is not fully charged or the secondary battery which is overcharged is caused. It is difficult to charge a plurality of secondary batteries arranged serially in this state as mentioned above. A tendency such that the characteristics of the secondary batteries are different becomes more remarkable as the secondary batteries are deteriorated.
Therefore, a method whereby a plurality of secondary batteries which are serially arranged are charged one by one and all of the secondary batteries are fully charged has been proposed as disclosed in JPA-4-248332. For example, as shown in
FIG. 1
, there is a method of charging two secondary batteries E
51
and E
52
which are serially arranged one by one. In case of charging the secondary battery E
51
by a charging device Rc, switching circuits S
51
and S
53
are turned on and switching circuits S
52
and S
54
are turned off. In case of charging the secondary battery E
52
by the charging device Rc, the switching circuits S
51
and S
53
are turned off and switching circuits S
52
and S
54
are turned on.
Further, a method of charging four secondary batteries E
61
, E
62
, E
63
, and E
64
one by one will be described with reference to FIG.
2
. To charge the four secondary batteries E
61
, E
62
, E
63
, and E
64
, respectively, a voltage current is outputted from a charging device Re. For example, when switching circuits S
61
and S
65
are turned on, the secondary battery E
61
is charged and when switching circuits S
62
and S
66
are turned on, the secondary battery E
62
is charged. When switching circuits S
63
and S
67
are turned on, the secondary battery E
63
is charged and when switching circuits S
64
and S
68
are turned on, the secondary battery E
64
is charged.
As shown in
FIG. 3A
, a voltage current is supplied from an input terminal Ti
70
. When only a switching circuit S
77
is turned on, a secondary battery E
71
is charged. When switching circuits S
74
and S
78
are turned on, a secondary battery E
72
is charged. When switching circuits S
75
and S
79
are turned on, a secondary battery E
73
is charged. When only a switching circuit S
76
is turned on, a secondary battery E
74
is charged. In case of discharging from an output terminal To, switching circuits S
71
, S
72
, and S
73
are turned on as shown in FIG.
3
B.
However, when a plurality of secondary batteries which are serially arranged are charged, since they are charged one by one, there is a problem such that it takes a time until all of the secondary batteries are fully charged.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a battery pack, a power source apparatus, and a charging and discharging method, in which a plurality of secondary batteries can be switched and used in such a manner that they are serially connected at the time of discharging and are connected in parallel at the time of charging.
According to the invention of claim
1
, there is provided a battery pack having a plurality of secondary batteries comprising: N (N≧2) serial circuits for connecting to M (M≧1) secondary batteries in parallel; a charging path for charging the (M×N) secondary batteries in parallel, wherein the charging path are formed by a plurality of switching elements; and a discharging path for discharging the (M×N) secondary batteries by a plurality of switching elements.
According to the invention of claim
3
, there is provided a power source apparatus having a plurality of secondary batteries comprising: an input terminal for inputting an AC power source; a battery pack in which N (N≧2) serial circuits for connecting to M (M≧1) secondary batteries in parallel; a charging path for charging the (M×N) secondary batteries in parallel, wherein the charging path are formed by a plurality of switching elements; a discharging path for discharging the (M×N) secondary batteries by a plurality of switching elements; a charging power generating means for charging the battery pack; and a connecting terminal for connecting a load.
According to the invention of claim
4
, there is provided a charging and discharging method of charging and discharging a plurality of secondary batteries, comprising the steps of: connecting N (N≧2) serial circuits each comprising M (M≧1) secondary batteries in parallel; and charging the (M×N) secondary batteries in parallel and serially discharging them.
When the (M×N) secondary batteries are charged by M charging devices, (M+1) switching circuits of (N−1) columns to which the (M×N) secondary batteries are connected in parallel are turned on, and (N−1) switching circuits to which the (M×N) secondary batteries are serially connected are turned off.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5739669 (1998-04-01), Brülhardt
patent: 5932932 (1999-08-01), Agatsuma et al.
patent: 6078165 (2000-06-01), Ashtiani et al.
patent: 6140799 (2000-10-01), Thomasson
Ikeda Tamon
Nagai Tamiji
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Sony Corporation
Tso Edward H.
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