Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Electrolytic systems or devices – Liquid electrolytic capacitor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-08
2001-12-04
Dinkins, Anthony (Department: 2831)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Electrolytic systems or devices
Liquid electrolytic capacitor
C361S521000, C361S502000, C361S519000, C361S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327137
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric double layer capacitor apparatus that includes a control circuit for balancing charge voltage in each of a plurality of electric double layer capacitors connected in series.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electric double layer capacitor apparatuses are known. An example of such apparatuses is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2575358 entitled “Electric Double Layer Capacitor Apparatus”.
The disclosed double layer capacitor apparatus includes a plurality of serially connected electric double layer capacitors. In order to balance charge voltage of each of the electric double layer capacitors, current control means comprising control transistors and a comparator is parallel-connected to each of the electric double layer capacitors. DC power supply for charging is connected between a positive terminal of a first electric double layer capacitor and a negative terminal of an end electric double layer capacitor. The interconnection between or wiring arrangement of the double layer capacitors is schematically shown in
FIG. 12
hereof.
As shown in
FIG. 12
, the capacitor wiring arrangement
100
includes a plurality of serially connected electric double layer capacitors
101
. Control circuit blocks
102
for charge voltage balancing are parallel-connected to each of the electric double layer capacitors
101
. A charging DC power supply
103
is connected between a positive terminal
101
a
and a negative terminal
101
b
of the serially connected electric double layer capacitors
101
. Consequently, harnesses
104
exist for connecting each of the electric double layer capacitors
101
and each of the control circuit blocks
102
, thereby rendering the wiring arrangement
100
of the electric double layer capacitors complex and less reliable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric double layer capacitor apparatus which allows reliable electrical connection. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric double layer capacitor apparatus comprising: an electric double layer capacitor including a metallic sheath can with a bottom, an electrode wrapper housed in the sheath can, a cover for covering an upper aperture of the sheath can and a pole projection projecting upwardly from a center portion of the cover, the pole projection serving as a positive electrode, the sheath can serving as a negative electrode: and a control circuit board having a diameter smaller than that of the sheath can and a control circuit for controlling balance of charge voltage of the electric double layer capacitor, the control circuit board being mounted to the cover such that it does not project beyond an upper end of the pole projection.
Upon electrically connecting the electric double layer capacitor and the control circuit board in a spaced fashion, for example, there arises a need to provide a lead for the connection. Provision of such a lead makes the wiring arrangement of the electric double layer capacitor apparatus complicated. Thus, in the inventive arrangement, a space between the upper end of the pole projection and the upper surface of the cover is used for mounting the control circuit board to the upper portion of the cover such that the board does not project beyond the upper end of the pole projection. As a result, the need for wiring of the lead is eliminated, thus improving the reliability of the electrical connection of the electric double layer capacitor apparatus.
Desirably, the apparatus further comprises an Insulator ring made of a resin material, for electrically isolating the pole projection from the sheath can. The insulator ring may have a plurality of locking projections projecting upwardly therefrom. The locking projections may be engaged in holes formed in the control circuit board to thereby fixedly secure the control circuit board to the electric double layer capacitor. This arrangement makes it easy to mount the control circuit board to the electric double layer capacitor.
In a preferred form, the control circuit board includes a board body which has a fitting hole formed centrally thereof, a plurality of sector-shaped cutouts provided around the fitting hole and a plurality of holes provided symmetrically about the fitting hole. The cover desirably includes an insulator ring forming part thereof and having sector-shaped projections being complementary in shape to the sector-shaped cutouts for fitting into the sector-shaped cutouts, and fitting projections projecting upwardly through the holes.
In an alternative form, the control circuit board includes a board body having a fitting hole formed centrally thereof and a plurality of sector-shaped cutouts provided around the fitting hole. The cover includes an insulator ring forming part thereof and having sector-shaped projections being complementary in shape to the sector-shaped cutouts for fitting into the sector-shaped cutouts. Each of the sector-shaped projections has board-fitting cutouts. The control circuit board is fixedly secured to the electric double layer capacitor, after fitting the sector-shaped projections into the sector-shaped cutouts, by rotating the control circuit board to cause the board body to be fitted into the board-fitting cutouts.
In a further alternative form, the control circuit board includes a board body having a fitting hole formed centrally thereof, a plurality of sector-shaped cutouts provided around the fitting hole, a plurality of copper foil lands provided in a back surface of the board body, and a plurality of through-holes extending through the board body and copper foil lands. The cover includes an insulator ring forming part thereof and having sector-shaped projections being complementary in shape to the sector-shaped cutouts for fitting into the sector-shaped cutouts The control circuit board is fixedly secured to the electric double layer capacitor by solder bonding, through the through-holes, copper foil lands to an outer ring made of metal forming part of the cover.
In a still further alternative form, the control circuit board includes a board body having a fitting hole formed centrally thereof. The pole projection has a male thread formed on an outer surface thereof. The control circuit board is fixedly secured to the electric double layer capacitor by screwing, through the fitting hole, the control circuit board into the pole projection.
The apparatus may further comprise: a ring-shaped pole projection contact terminal provided on the control circuit board for electrically connecting the control circuit board and the pole projection of the electric double layer capacitor; and a ring-shaped can body contact terminal provided between the control circuit board and the metallic outer ring forming part of the cover and electrically connecting the sheath can of the electric double layer capacitor and the control circuit board.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5420748 (1995-05-01), Ryu
patent: 5776637 (1998-07-01), Kashio et al.
patent: 5850331 (1998-12-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 6064563 (2000-05-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 6201686 (2001-03-01), Hiratsuka et al.
patent: 6205034 (2001-03-01), Zayatz
patent: 6236557 (2001-05-01), Kashihara et al.
patent: 6285541 (2001-09-01), Osaki et al.
patent: 2575358 (1998-04-01), None
Matsumoto Kenji
Matsuoka Toshiyuki
Shibuya Kentaro
Yamamoto Koichi
Dinkins Anthony
Ha Nguyen
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Merchant & Gould P.C.
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