JP2003272717A - Battery monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery monitoring device detecting the used time of a battery while minimizing output voltage drops of a battery. <P>SOLUTION: This battery monitoring device detecting the used time of the battery supplying electric power to a power source is equipped with a vibration detecting means BS detecting vibration generated with the power source of vibration generated with a moving body moved with the power source; a timing means T1 for measuring the vibration time by adding the time of the vibration detected with detecting means BS and timing; and a battery control means BL specifying the used time of the battery by the time information of the timing means T1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery monitoring device for detecting a usage time of a battery for supplying electric power to a power source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Such a battery monitoring device is a device for managing the life and deterioration of the battery by detecting the time when the battery is actually used. Conventionally, as a structure for detecting the usage time of a battery, a load resistance is connected in series to an electric wiring connecting a battery and a power source, and a time during which a current flowing through the load resistance is detected is set as the usage time. The composition was general.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional configuration, the output voltage of the monitored battery is lowered due to the resistance connected in series for detecting the usage time of the monitored battery. , Hinder the efficient use of batteries. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to detect the usage time of a battery while preventing the output voltage of the battery to be monitored from decreasing as much as possible. There is a point to.

[0004]

In the battery monitoring device for detecting the usage time of the battery for supplying electric power to the power source, the vibration or the power generated by the power source is provided. A vibration detecting means for detecting a vibration generated by a moving body moving by a source, a time measuring means for measuring a vibration time by integrating a time during which the vibration detecting means detects the vibration, and a time measuring means for measuring the time. Battery management means for specifying the usage time of the battery based on the information is provided. That is, the battery is often used in the form of supplying electric power to a power source (engine, etc.) of an automobile, a motorcycle, etc. In such a case, a moving body moving from the power source itself or by the power source. Vibration is generated from (for example, the car body of an automobile). Since the time during which this vibration occurs is almost the same as the time during which the battery is used, this vibration is detected by the vibration detection means, and the time during which the vibration detection means detects the vibration is determined by using the battery. It can be specified as the time that is being done. Therefore, instead of directly detecting the current flowing by the battery, the mechanical vibration that appears closely related to the use of the battery is detected to indirectly specify the usage time of the battery. It is possible to accurately detect the usage time of the battery while preventing the output voltage of the battery from decreasing as much as possible.

Further, by providing the configuration according to the above-mentioned claim 2, the total elapsed time for starting the time counting from the time point when the first charge is finished or a predetermined time period is passed from the time point when the first charge is finished after the injection of the battery. A timekeeping means for timekeeping is provided,
The vibration detecting means, the time measuring means for measuring the vibration time, the battery managing means, and the time measuring means for measuring the total elapsed time are attached to the battery. That is, the deterioration of the life of the battery depends not only on the usage time of the battery but also on the elapsed time from the completion of the battery, and more specifically, it progresses from the end of the first charge after the injection of the battery. Therefore, in managing the deterioration of the life of the battery, it is desirable to grasp both the usage time of the battery and the elapsed time from the completion of the battery. Therefore, by attaching a time measuring means for measuring both times to the battery, it is possible to accurately monitor the deterioration state of the battery. Furthermore, if the time counting means for measuring the total elapsed time is configured to start timing by the time of shipment of the battery manufacturing factory at the latest, it is possible to accurately manage the elapsed time from the completion of the battery and at the same time to the battery. It becomes possible to integrate the assembly of monitoring equipment and the start of timing with the manufacture of batteries,
It is possible to efficiently install the battery monitoring device on the monitoring target and start the monitoring operation. Further, when the time measuring means for measuring the total elapsed time is configured so that the set time can be added to the time measuring time as an offset when the time measuring means is started, time starts from the time when the first charging ends and the time starts. However, by adding the elapsed time as an offset, it is possible to obtain the same timekeeping result as when the timekeeping was started from the time when the initial charging was completed. On the contrary, in the configuration of starting the time measurement from "0" time without adding the offset when starting the time measurement means for measuring the total elapsed time, for example,
When the progress of deterioration of the battery is suppressed by, for example, storing it at low temperature after the battery is completed, start the timekeeping of the timekeeping means for total elapsed time measurement for a predetermined time according to the amount of suppression of deterioration progress. By delaying by just that, the elapsed time after the battery is completed can be monitored more accurately.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a battery monitoring device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, as schematically shown in FIG. 4, a case where a battery BT to be monitored is mounted on a vehicle 1 as a moving body MM will be described as an example. The battery BT supplies electric power for starting the engine 2, which is the power source PS of the automobile 1, and is charged by electricity generated by the power of the engine 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the battery monitoring device BC that monitors the state of the battery BT is attached to the upper surface side of the housing of the battery BT, and
As shown in the cross-sectional view, the vibration sensor 3, which is the vibration detecting means BS, is suspended and supported from the lower portion of the flat rectangular parallelepiped casing. The vibration sensor 3 is composed of a piezoelectric element formed in a disc shape.

In the housing of the battery monitoring device BC, as shown in a block diagram in FIG. 1, during the period when the vibration sensor 3 is detecting vibration based on the detection signal of the vibration sensor 3,
The vibration detection circuit 10 that outputs an "ON" signal and the vibration detection time integration functioning as the time measuring means T1 for measuring the vibration time by integrating and measuring the time during which the vibration detection circuit 10 outputs the "ON" signal Timer 11 and battery BT at the latest
12 for accumulating the total elapsed time as the time measuring means T2 for measuring the total elapsed time which is started at the time of shipment from the manufacturing factory of
And an arithmetic processing unit 13 that manages information about the deterioration state of the battery BT based on the time count information of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 and the total elapsed time integration timer 12, and a state in which the battery BT is considerably deteriorated. An alarm output circuit 14 is provided for outputting an alarm when it arrives, and these circuits are mounted on a circuit board 15 together with a built-in battery (not shown) for driving a circuit. The alarm output circuit 14
In addition to outputting the notification output as a signal, the alarm is issued by a display and a sound by the alarm display 16 and the alarm sound generator 17 provided in the housing of the battery monitoring device BC.

Next, an outline of the operation of the battery monitoring device BC will be described. When the battery monitoring device BC is attached to the upper surface of the casing at the time of manufacturing and the battery BT whose time has been started by the total elapsed time integrating timer 12 is attached to the automobile 1 as shown in FIG. 4, the vibration sensor 3 is connected to the battery BT. The vibration transmitted to the case is detected. This total elapsed time integration timer 12
The start time of the battery B is the battery B in the battery BT manufacturing process
It may be at the end of the first charge after the injection of T, or at the time when a predetermined time has elapsed from the end of the first charge, but more preferably at the latest until the factory shipment of the battery BT. The total elapsed time integration timer 12 is configured to be able to add the set time as an offset to the measured time at the start of the time measurement, so that the total elapsed time integration timer 12 can measure the total start time and the initial charge end time. If the time interval is too long, the time interval can be added as an offset. Furthermore, the battery BT
When the progress of the deterioration of the battery BT is suppressed for various reasons such as storing the battery at a low temperature, the operation of delaying the start of the total elapsed time integration timer 12 for the time corresponding to the amount of suppression is also possible. It is suitable.

When the vehicle 1 is set as described above, what is detected by the vibration sensor 3 is the vehicle 1
The detection sensitivity is set so as to detect the vibration caused by the running of the vehicle, that is, the vibration generated by the moving body MM that moves by the power source PS, and the vibration generated by the engine 2, that is, the vibration generated by the power source PS itself. . While the vibration is being transmitted to the vibration sensor 3, the vibration detection circuit 1
An “ON” signal is output from 0 to the vibration detection time integration timer 11, and the vibration detection time integration timer 11 counts the time while receiving the “ON” signal. That is, the measured time information of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 is the total time when the vibration sensor 3 detects vibration. The arithmetic processing unit 13 uses the timing information output by the vibration detection time integration timer 11 and the timing information output by the total elapsed time integration timer 12 to determine the battery BT.
Monitor the deterioration state of.

As a concrete process for this monitoring,
For example, the life set value “X” time of the total elapsed time integration timer 12 and the life set value “Y” time of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 are stored respectively, and the total elapsed time from the “X” time is stored. The battery BT is equivalent when either one reaches "0" time by subtracting the measured time of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 from the "Y" time while subtracting the measured time of the time integration timer 12 It may be judged that the deterioration state has reached a certain degree. Therefore, the arithmetic processing unit 13
Functions as a battery management unit BL that identifies the usage time of the battery BT based on the time information of the vibration detection time integration timer 11. When the arithmetic processing unit 13 determines that the battery BT has reached the above-mentioned considerable deterioration state, the arithmetic processing unit 13 outputs a signal to that effect to the control device on the side of the automobile 1 to notify that the battery BT should be replaced, and an alarm is issued. Display an alarm on the display 16,
The alarm sound generator 17 generates an alarm sound. The output voltage of the battery BT is also input to the arithmetic processing unit 13,
Even when the output voltage of the battery BT becomes an abnormal voltage due to a short circuit or the like, the information is output to the control device on the automobile 1 side, the alarm is displayed on the alarm display 16, and the alarm sound generator 17 outputs the alarm. It is configured to generate a sound.

[Other Embodiments] Other embodiments of the present invention will be listed below. (1) In the above embodiment, the battery BT is mounted on the automobile 1 as the moving body MM. However, the battery BT is mounted on various moving bodies MM such as motorcycles, motor boats, and tractors. The present invention can be applied to the case. (2) In the above-described embodiment, the vibration detection means BS detects both the vibration transmitted from the engine 2 itself, which is the power source PS, and the vibration caused by the traveling of the automobile 1.
For example, the present invention can be applied to a case where the vibration generated by the power source PS is small and only the vibration caused by the traveling of the moving body MM is detected, as in the case where the moving body MM is an electric vehicle. (3) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the battery BT is mounted on the moving body MM that moves by the power of the power source PS is illustrated, but vibration is generated by the operation of the power source like a generator, for example. The present invention can also be applied to applications in which there is no moving body MM that moves due to the power source PS.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the battery monitoring device BC has the timekeeping time information output by the vibration detection time integration timer 11 and the timekeeping time information output by the total elapsed time integration timer 12. The deterioration state of the battery BT is monitored by, and the length of time the battery BT is in the overcharged state also affects the deterioration state of the battery BT. The deterioration time may be monitored more accurately by measuring the remaining time. Specifically, the terminal voltage of the battery BT is monitored, and a timer for separately measuring the time during which the output voltage of the battery BT maintains the voltage in the fully charged state, that is, the time in the overcharged state is separately provided and stored in advance. While subtracting the time count of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 and the like, the time count time of the overcharge time is also subtracted from the remaining life time,
The remaining time until reaching the end of life may be calculated.

(5) In the above embodiment, the case where the battery monitoring device BC is attached to the housing of the battery BT is illustrated, but it may be attached to the vehicle body of the automobile 1 which is the moving body MM, for example. . (6) In the above embodiment, the battery monitoring device BC is provided with the built-in battery for driving the circuit thereof, but the battery monitoring device BC is operated by the power of the battery BT to be monitored. It may be configured as follows. (7) In the above embodiment, the battery monitoring device BC is operated so as to detect a state in which the degree of deterioration of the battery BT has progressed to a considerable extent. Set the "Y" time to a relatively short time,
The time elapsed by the total elapsed time integrating timer 12 is subtracted from the “X” time, and the time elapsed by the vibration detection time integrating timer 11 is subtracted from the “Y” time. When it becomes, the battery BT is informed and output as the time to check, and the vibration detection time integration timer 1
By resetting the time count of 1 and the total elapsed time integration timer 12 to "0" time, it operates to encourage periodical examination of the battery BT at a cycle set by "X" time or "Y" time. You may let me.

(8) In the above embodiment, the case where the battery BT and the battery monitoring device BC are handled as one unit is exemplified as a configuration in which the time counting by the total elapsed time integrating timer 12 is started at the factory shipment of the battery BT at the latest. But
The battery monitoring device BC may be easily detached from the battery BT and replaced with another battery BT so that the battery monitoring device BC can be used for monitoring the deterioration state of the other battery BT. In this case, the time counts of the vibration detection time integration timer 11 and the total elapsed time integration timer 12 are configured to be resettable, and the “X” time and the “Y” time in the above embodiment are set to the other batteries. It suffices if the setting can be changed to a value suitable for the characteristics of BT. (9) In the above embodiment, the battery monitoring device BC is the battery B.
Although the case where it is attached to the upper surface of the casing of T is shown as an example, the attachment position of the battery monitoring device BC can be appropriately changed such as attachment to the side surface of the battery BT. (10) In the above-described embodiment, the vibration sensor 3 exemplifies a configuration in which a disk-shaped piezoelectric element is suspended and supported, but piezoelectric elements of various shapes are attached to the housing of the battery BT. The specific configuration of the vibration sensor 3 can be variously changed.

[0015]

According to the structure of the first aspect, the time during which the vibration is generated from the power source itself or the moving body moving by the power source is almost equal to the time during which the battery is used. Since they match, this vibration can be detected by the vibration detecting means, and the time during which the vibration detecting means is detecting the vibration can be specified as the time during which the battery is used. Therefore, instead of detecting the energizing current by the battery, by indirectly detecting the mechanical vibration that appears closely related to the use of the battery and specifying the usage time of the battery,
It is possible to accurately detect the usage time of the battery while preventing the output voltage of the battery to be monitored from decreasing as much as possible.

Further, according to the above-mentioned structure of the present invention, the total elapsed time from the completion of the battery has to be started as close to the completion of the battery as possible, and the timekeeping accuracy is ensured. Therefore, it is necessary to start timing at the time of shipping from the battery manufacturing factory at the latest. As described above, since the time counting means for measuring the total elapsed time is extremely closely connected to the battery itself, it is desirable to clarify the correspondence with the battery from the manufacturing stage of the battery. Therefore, when managing the usage time of the battery and the total elapsed time from the completion of the battery, it is possible to accurately monitor the battery by attaching the time measuring means and the like to the battery and handling both integrally.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a battery monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an attached state of the battery monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a battery equipped with a battery monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a state in which the battery according to the embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a moving body.

[Explanation of symbols]

BL battery management means BS vibration detection means BT battery PS power source Timekeeping means for T1 vibration timekeeping T2 Timekeeping means for measuring total elapsed time

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A battery monitoring device for detecting a usage time of a battery for supplying electric power to a power source, the vibration for detecting a vibration generated by the power source or a vibration generated by a moving body moving by the power source. Detecting means, a time measuring means for measuring the vibration time by integrating the time when the vibration detecting means detects vibration, and a battery managing means for specifying the usage time of the battery by the time information of the time measuring means. A battery monitoring device provided with. 2. A time-measuring unit for total elapsed time measurement, which starts time counting after the end of the first charge or after a lapse of a predetermined time from the end of the first charge after injecting the battery, 2. The battery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the means, the time measuring means for measuring the vibration time, the battery managing means, and the time measuring means for measuring the total elapsed time are attached to the battery.