JP3433751B2 - Overcharge / overdischarge prevention device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an overcharge / overdischarge prevention device for preventing overcharge and overdischarge of a non-aqueous solvent secondary battery such as a lithium secondary battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a battery configuration example of a non-aqueous solvent type secondary battery, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery. In this lithium-ion secondary battery 1, LiCo is used as the active material 4 of the positive electrode 2.
O ₂ is used as the active material 6 of the negative electrode 3, carbon having a graphite structure is used, and the active material 4 of the positive electrode is a current collector 5 of Al.
And the negative electrode active material 6 is held by the Cu current collector 7. The active materials 4 and 6 face each other with the separator 8 in between, and the organic electrolyte 9 is filled between the active materials 4 and 6.
The voltage reaction of the lithium ion secondary battery 1 is expressed as shown in Chemical formula 1.

[0003]

[Chemical 1]

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the charge / discharge characteristics of the battery 1 have a strong correlation between the battery capacity, that is, the charge / discharge energy and the voltage between battery terminals (so-called battery voltage). A solid line I in FIG. 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the battery voltage and the charging energy, and the battery voltage rises as the charging energy increases.
A solid line II in FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the battery voltage and the discharge energy, and the battery voltage decreases as the discharge energy increases.

The battery 1 has a battery constituent material and a design voltage a that allows the battery to be designed (see FIG. 8), and charging above this design voltage a is called overcharge. When overcharged,
(1) Deposition of Li metal on the negative electrode 3, (2) Decomposition of the positive electrode active material 4, and deposition of Co metal or cobalt compound on the negative electrode 3 caused by cobalt ions generated by the decomposition,
(3) The organic electrolyte is decomposed. Deposition of Li metal, Co metal, and Co compound causes a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes,
Decomposition of the positive electrode active material 4 and the organic electrolytic solution 9 causes a remarkable deterioration of the battery 1. Therefore, the reliability of the battery cannot be ensured unless overcharging is essentially avoided.

When an external load is connected to the charged battery 1 to discharge it, the battery voltage decreases as shown in FIG.
When the discharge is continued, the melting voltage b of the negative electrode current collector (Cu) 7 is reached. Further discharge after reaching the dissolution voltage b is called over-discharge, and naturally copper (Cu) is ionized and eluted in the electrolytic solution 9 in the over-discharge. If the current collector metal is eluted, the current collecting function is deteriorated and the negative electrode active material 6 is dropped off.
Reduce the capacity of. Further, the eluted copper ions are abnormally deposited on the negative electrode 3 during the next charging, which causes a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes. Therefore, over-discharging is naturally a problem to be avoided.

Conventionally, there have been the following techniques as countermeasures against over-discharge and over-charge. As measures against overcharging, there are a current interruption device that controls a charging voltage by a charger and a battery internal pressure.

The above-mentioned countermeasure against overcharge by the charger controls the charging terminal voltage of the battery at the time of charging, and is sufficiently effective in connecting the cells or the parallel connection of the cells.
However, batteries are often used in series connection, and in this case, although the voltage across the series connection is controlled, individual battery voltage cannot be controlled. Therefore, when at least one battery connected in series is short-circuited, the other battery is overcharged during charging, and this method is not a complete overcharge countermeasure.

As the above-mentioned current interrupting device, there is a method of mechanically interrupting the current lead wire and interrupting the charging current by utilizing the fact that the internal pressure of the battery rises during overcharging. This method does not prevent overcharging itself, but it prevents the battery temperature from abnormally increasing after overcharging and damage to the battery due to high voltage. Becomes unusable.

As a measure against overcharge, there is a method of selecting a metal whose negative electrode current collector metal voltage is as close to zero as battery voltage. For example, when Ni is used instead of Cu, the effect is observed, but it is not perfect. In particular, in the case of batteries connected in series, one battery always undergoes over-discharging due to individual differences in the batteries, resulting in significant deterioration in charge / discharge cycles.

[0011]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an overcharge / overdischarge prevention device capable of completely preventing overcharge and overdischarge of a battery and ensuring the reliability and safety of the battery. It is a thing.

[0012]

In the overcharge / overdischarge prevention device according to the present invention, the battery voltage changes according to the battery capacity.
In overcharge, overdischarge preventing device provided with a plurality of series connected non-aqueous secondary battery and the charging terminal and the discharge terminal and the common terminal, <br for detecting a voltage between both terminals of the individual cells /> First voltage detecting means composed of a reference voltage and a comparator
And the serial connection between the common terminal and the charging terminal.
The first switch means provided in series with the
The voltage across the batteries connected in series, or individually
Reference voltage and ratio for detecting the voltage between both terminals of the battery
Second voltage detecting means composed of a comparator and a common terminal
And a series connection with the battery connected in series between the discharge terminals
And a second switch means continues, when the voltage of individual cells during charging exceeds a first predetermined value, on the basis of the individual output of the first voltage detecting means first switching means Is turned off to shut off the charging current, and when the voltage of each battery drops below a second predetermined value during discharging , or when all batteries
When the total voltage of equal to or less than a third predetermined value, by turning off the second switching means based on the output of the second voltage detecting unit, configured to cut off the discharge current. First and second
The switching means can be composed of an n-channel FET.

In the overcharge / overdischarge prevention device for a non-aqueous secondary battery according to the present invention, the voltage of each battery is always detected by the first voltage detecting means during charging, and the voltage is
When the first predetermined value (that is, the design voltage) is exceeded, the first switch means is turned off based on each output of the first voltage detection means, and the charging current is interrupted. When in the discharged state, the voltage of the battery is always detected by the second voltage detecting means,
The voltage of each battery is less than the second predetermined value (that is, set voltage)
Voltage of all batteries connected in series or when
Becomes equal to or lower than the third predetermined value (that is, the set voltage), the second switch means is turned off based on the output of the second voltage detection means, and the discharge current is interrupted. Therefore, the battery is reliably prevented from being overcharged and overdischarged.

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the above-mentioned non-aqueous solvent system 2
Utilizing the correlation between the battery voltage of the secondary battery and the battery capacity (charging / discharging energy), for example, the terminal voltage of the battery connected in series is constantly detected, and when the designed battery voltage is exceeded, the charging current is shut off by the electronic circuit, In addition, the discharge current is cut off by an electronic circuit at a voltage lower than the set voltage of the battery to completely prevent overcharging and overdischarging of the battery and guarantee the reliability and safety of the battery.

Embodiments of an overcharge prevention device and an overdischarge prevention device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of an overcharge / overdischarge prevention device in which an overcharge prevention device and an overdischarge prevention device are integrally incorporated. In this example, two batteries are connected in series. In the figure, 11 is a common terminal, 12 is a discharge terminal,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a charging terminal, and 14 [14A, 14B] denotes two batteries connected in series. One end (positive end) of the batteries 14 connected in series is connected to the common terminal 11 and the other end (negative end).
Is connected to the discharge terminal 12 via the second switch means 15 for interrupting the discharge current, and the first switch for interrupting the charge current .
Is connected to the charging terminal 13 via the switch means 16. A first voltage detector 17 for detecting the battery voltage is connected between the terminals of the batteries 14A and 14B, that is, between the terminals of the battery 14A, and the battery voltage is similarly detected between the terminals of the battery 14B. Second voltage detector 18 is connected, and the output sides of the first and second voltage detectors 17 and 18 are connected to the first switch means 16. This first
The second voltage detectors 17 and 18 and the first switch means 16 constitute an overcharge prevention device. Further, a third voltage detector 19 for detecting the battery voltage of all the batteries connected in series is connected between both ends of the batteries 14 connected in series,
The output side of the voltage detector 19 is connected to the second switch means 15 for interrupting the discharge current. The third voltage detector 19 and the second switch means 15 constitute an overdischarge prevention device.

As the batteries 14A and 14B, the above-mentioned non-aqueous solvent type secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery is used. It is preferable that the voltage detectors 17, 18, and 19 have low power consumption and high voltage detection accuracy. It is preferable that the switch means 15 and 16 have a large on-current and a low on-resistance.

In the above configuration, two batteries 1 connected in series with the common terminal and the charging terminal connected to the charging power source
When charging 4A and 14B, the first switch means 16 is turned on, and the first and second voltage detectors 1
The charging is performed while the terminal voltages of the individual batteries 14A and 14B are constantly detected by the batteries 7 and 18. And battery 14
A, of at least one of 14B cells, for example, the terminal voltage of the battery 14A exceeds a design voltage a (see FIG. 7), first on the basis of the output of the first voltage detector 17 corresponding to the battery 14A The switch means 16 is turned off, the charging current is cut off, and overcharging is prevented.

Next, when the charged battery 14 is connected to the load through the common terminal 11 and the discharge terminal 12 and discharged, the second switch means 15 is turned on, and the third voltage detector 19 causes the second switch means 15 to turn on. Battery 1 always connected in series
The discharge is performed while the voltage between both ends of 4 is detected. When the voltage between both ends of the battery becomes equal to or lower than the set voltage b determined by the higher of the melting voltage of the load current collector metal of the battery or the cutoff voltage of the load device (see FIG. 9), the third voltage The second switch means 15 is turned off based on the output from the detector 19, the discharge current is interrupted, and over-discharge is prevented.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific electronic circuit corresponding to the above basic structure. Batteries 14 [14A, connected in series
14B] has one end (positive end) having a common terminal (plus terminal) 1
Connected to one, the other end (negative electrode) is connected to the second n-channel FET15 the switching means present embodiment and the first switch means charging terminal via the n-channel FET16 in the present example (minus terminal) 13, and further The midpoint of connection between the second and first n-channel FETs 15 and 16 is connected to the discharge terminal (minus terminal) 12. D ₁ and D ₂ are parasitic diodes.

The common terminal 11 is connected to the first n via the resistor R _4.
It is connected to the gate of the channel FET 16. further,
The common terminal 11 is a pnp transistor Q ₃ and resistors R ₅ and R
Is connected to the charging terminal 13 via ₆ and the first n
Gate and source of channel FET 16 (charge terminal 13
Npn transistor Q ₄ connected to that) while connected, are connected to the connection point of the gate resistor R ₅ and R ₆ in.

On the other hand, the first, second and third voltage detectors 1
7, 18, 19 are output terminals t as shown in FIG.₁, + Power
Source terminal t₂And-the power supply terminal t₃From the comparator 21 having
And the reference voltage V₂When applying
Both + power supply terminal t₂And-power supply terminal t₃Between resistance R₁Over
And R₂To connect resistor R₁And R₂Voltage V at the midpoint of connection
₁Is applied to the plus input terminal. This
The voltage detector 17 (18, 19) of₁<V₂When
Output terminal t₁Voltage V_t1Is-power supply terminal t₃Voltage V_t3To
Becomes equal (V_t1= V_t3), V₁> V₂When the output end
Child t₁Voltage V _t1Is + power supply terminal t₂Voltage V_t2Equal to
None (V_t1= V_t2). Here, the first and second voltage detection
In terminals 17 and 18, its terminal t₂And t₃Voltage between
Up to the design voltage of the batteries 14A, 14B (eg 4.3V)
Is V₁<V₂And V exceeds the design voltage₁> V₂Tona
Is set. Also, in the third voltage detector 19,
Terminal t₂And t₃The voltage between them is the set voltage (for example, two direct
V at the voltage between both ends of the column (4.3V) or less₁> V₂, Set voltage
Above V₁<V₂Is set.

The output terminal t _{1 of} the third voltage detector 19 for detecting the discharge voltage is a switch means .
To the gate of the n-channel FET 15 of No. 2 , its + power supply terminal t ₂ is the common terminal 11 and therefore one end (positive end) of the battery 14.
The power source terminal t ₃ is the other end of the battery 14 (negative electrode end).
Are connected to each other. Further, in the first voltage detector 17 for detecting the terminal voltage of the battery 14A, the + power supply terminal t ₂ is connected to the positive end of the battery 14A, and the −power supply terminal t ₃ is connected to the negative end of the battery 14B. , Its output terminal t ₁ constitutes a switching circuit via a resistor R ₇ , for example np
It is connected to the base of the n-transistor Q ₁ . The emitter of the transistor Q ₁ is connected to the −power supply terminal t ₃ of the first voltage detector 17, and the collector thereof is the resistor R ₉ and the diode D _3.
Is connected to the base of the pnp transistor Q ₁ . The second voltage detector 18 for detecting the terminal voltage of the battery 14B has a + power supply terminal t _{2 at} the positive terminal of the battery 14B (that is, a connection midpoint between the batteries 14A and 14B) and a −power supply terminal t.
₃ is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 14B, and its output terminal t ₁ is connected to the base of the npn transistor Q ₂ forming a switching circuit via the resistor R ₈ . The emitter of the transistor Q ₂ is the − of the second voltage detector 18.
It is connected to the power supply terminal t ₃ , and the collector is connected to the base of the pnp transistor Q ₃ via the resistor R ₁₀ and the diode D ₄ . Further, a resistor R ₁₁ is connected between the base and the emitter of the pnp transistor Q ₃ .

Next, the operation of the circuit of FIG. 2 will be described.
First, a case will be described in which the common terminal 11 and the charging terminal 13 are connected to a charging power source to charge the series-connected batteries 14. In the initial charging state, the first and second voltage detectors 1
Since 7 and 18 are V ₁ <V ₂ , the voltage V of the output terminal t _1
t1 is - because it becomes equal to the voltage V _t3 of the power supply terminal t _3, the transistors Q ₁ and Q ₂ are in an off state. Meanwhile, the second
The n-channel FET 15 of is in the ON state. Therefore, through the common terminal 11, the first n-channel FET
By positive voltage is applied to 16 of the gate, the
The n-channel FET 16 of No. 1 is turned on, and the charging current is common terminal 11-batteries 14A, 14B- second n-channel F.
ET15- first n-channel FET 16-charging terminal 1
3 flows to charge the batteries 14A and 14B.

When charging proceeds and the charging voltage of at least one of the batteries 14A and 14B, for example, the battery 14A, exceeds the design voltage a, the first voltage detector 17 outputs V ₁
> V ₂ , and the voltage V _{t1 at the} output terminal t ₁ is + the power supply terminal t ₂
Becomes equal to the voltage V _t2 of the transistor Q ₁
A positive potential is applied to the base of the transistor to turn on the transistor Q ₁ . Turning on the transistor Q ₄ causes pnp
When the transistor Q ₃ is turned on and the transistor Q ₄ is turned on, the switching means is for cutting off the charging current.
The first n-channel FET 16 turns off and the charging current is cut off. Further, when the current 14B first exceeds the design voltage a, the output terminal voltage V _{t1 of} the second voltage detector 18 similarly becomes +.
When the voltage becomes equal to the voltage V _{t2 at the} power supply terminal, the n-channel FET 16 is turned off based on the output of the detector 18, and the charging current is cut off. Therefore, charging is stopped and overcharge of the batteries 14A and 14B is prevented.

Next, a case will be described in which an external load is connected to the charged battery 14 [14A, 14B] via the common terminal 11 and the discharge terminal 12 to discharge. Discharge current tooth, discharge terminal 12- second n-channel FET 15-battery 14
B, 14A-flows through common terminal 11. When the discharge progresses and the capacities of the batteries 14A and 14B connected in series decrease and become equal to or lower than the set voltage b, V ₁ <V ₂ in the third voltage detector 19, and the voltage V _t of the output terminal t ₁ becomes −. When the voltage becomes equal to the voltage V _t3 of the power supply terminal t ₃ , the second n-channel FET 15 which is the switch means for cutting off the discharge current is turned off by the output voltage of the third voltage detector 19, and the discharge current is cut off. . Therefore, the discharge is stopped and the battery 14
Over-discharge of A and 14B is prevented.

In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent overcharge exceeding the unit cell terminal voltage of 4.3 V, and overdischarging of the two terminal terminals in series of 4.3 V or less.

FIG. 4 shows four batteries 14 [14A, 14
[B, 14C, 14D] are connected in series and parallel, and parts corresponding to those in FIG. In this embodiment, when at least one of the batteries 14A and 14C exceeds the design voltage during charging, the switch means 16 is turned off based on the output of the first voltage detector 17, and the batteries 14B and 14D are charged. When at least one of them exceeds the design voltage a, the switch means 16 is turned off based on the output of the second voltage detector 18,
The charging current is cut off and the batteries 14A, 14B, 14C, 1
4D overcharge is prevented. During discharging, if the voltage across at least one of the batteries 14A and 14B or the batteries 14C and 14D connected in series becomes equal to or lower than the set voltage b, the third
The switch means 15 is turned off based on the output of the voltage detector 19 and the discharge current is interrupted to prevent over-discharge. 2 can be used for a specific electronic circuit configuration.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example of a battery pack incorporating the overcharge / overdischarge prevention circuit shown in FIG.
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 22 denotes a printed circuit board having a wiring pattern 23 corresponding to the circuit shown in FIG. 2 formed on the back surface and a circuit component 24 mounted on the front surface. This printed circuit board 2
2 has a size in which two batteries 14A and 14B are juxtaposed, and a positive electrode tab 26 connected to the positive electrode end of one battery 14A connected in series and the other battery 14B so as to stand upright from one end of the substrate 22 thereof. And a negative electrode tab 27 connected to the negative electrode end of the battery 22 is formed, and the negative electrode end of one battery 14A and the positive electrode end of the other battery 14B are commonly connected so as to stand upright from the other end of the substrate 22. And a terminal fixing plate 29 having a common terminal 11, a discharge terminal 12 and a charging terminal 13 arranged on the outside so as to stand upright on one side of the substrate. The common terminal 11, the discharge terminal 12, the charging terminal 13, the tabs 26, 27, 28, etc. are the printed circuit board 22.
Connected to the wiring pattern 23. The circuit component 24 is a battery 1 when two batteries 14A and 14B are arranged side by side.
It is mounted in the center of the substrate, which corresponds to the gap between 4A and 14B. The positions corresponding to the tabs 26, 27 and 28 are shown in FIG.
Are denoted by the same reference numerals. And, as shown in FIG. 6A,
Two batteries 14A and 14B are provided on the printed circuit board 22.
And the positive electrode end of the battery 14A and the positive electrode tab 26, the negative electrode end of the battery 14B and the negative electrode tab 27, the negative electrode end of the battery 14A and the positive electrode end of the battery 14B, and the midpoint tab 28, respectively, for example, Electrically and mechanically connected and fixed by welding. Then, the integrated battery 14A, 14B and the printed circuit board 22 is housed in a housing case 33 composed of an upper case 31 and a lower case 32, and an opening 3 provided in the lower case 32.
The common terminal 11, the discharge terminal 12, and the charge terminal 13 are respectively faced to 5, 36, and 37 to form the battery pack 38 capable of preventing overcharge / overdischarge shown in FIG. 6B.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 described above, two serially connected
Although one third voltage detector 19 is provided between both ends of each battery, it is also possible to provide each third voltage detector 19 corresponding to each battery connected in series.

The above-mentioned electronic circuit is an example of a circuit that realizes the technical idea of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the elements, circuit system, and set voltage used are arbitrary. Further, it is possible to correspond to a single battery, a series connection of three or more, and the like. Further, part or all of the circuit can be integrated into an IC for use. The electronic circuit described above can be partially or entirely incorporated into the battery, outside the battery, inside the battery pack, or in the charger.

As described above, the present embodiment can be applied to a single battery, a parallel connection, two or more series-connected batteries, a series-parallel connected battery, or the like. When using batteries connected in series,
As the voltage detecting means, the voltage detecting means may be provided corresponding to each battery, but one voltage detecting means for detecting the voltage between both ends of the series-connected batteries may be provided.

In the above-mentioned FIGS. 1 and 2, an example in which the overcharge prevention device and the overdischarge prevention device are integrally combined is shown.
In addition, the overcharge prevention device and the overdischarge prevention device can be used independently. For example, only the overcharge prevention device can be incorporated in the charger, or only the overdischarge prevention device can be incorporated in the battery pack. Further, in the above example, the present invention is applied to prevent overcharge and overdischarge of the lithium ion secondary battery, but it is needless to say that the present invention can also be applied to other non-water-welded secondary batteries.

According to the above-described embodiment, overcharging can be prevented when the battery is charged, so that the positive electrode active material of the battery and the electrolytic solution are decomposed, the battery is internally short-circuited, the battery temperature and the battery internal pressure are abnormal. It is possible to avoid battery destruction due to rise in temperature, rise in temperature and internal pressure. Further, even when the battery is connected to an external load and discharged, over-discharge of the battery can be prevented, so that deterioration of the battery capacity, deterioration of charge-type cycle life, and internal short circuit of the battery can be avoided. Therefore, the battery does not become unusable, the reliability of the battery,
The safety can be guaranteed.

[0037]

According to the present invention, overcharging of a battery can be prevented during charging. Further, it is possible to prevent over-discharging when the battery is discharged. Therefore, damage to the battery can be avoided, and reliability and safety of the battery can be guaranteed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the electronic circuit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the voltage detector of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a basic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a manufacturing process diagram (1) when the present invention is applied to a battery pack.

FIG. 6 is a manufacturing process diagram (2) when the present invention is applied to a battery pack.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a lithium-ion secondary battery.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the charging energy of a lithium ion secondary battery and the battery voltage.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the discharge energy of a lithium ion secondary battery and the battery voltage.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 common terminal, 12 discharge terminal, 13 charge terminal, 14A, 14B battery, 15, 16 switch means, 17, 18, 19 voltage detector

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-267874 (JP, A) JP-A-1-315227 (JP, A) JP-A-2-250636 (JP, A) Actual flat 2- 136445 (JP, U) Actually open 1-92064 (JP, U) Actually open 62-195330 (JP, U) Actually open 59-85051 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H02J ⁷ /00-7/12 H02J 7/34-7/36 H01M 10/44-10/48

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A double the battery voltage is changed depending on the battery capacity
In an overcharge / overdischarge prevention device equipped with several non-aqueous secondary batteries connected in series , a charge terminal, a discharge terminal, and a common terminal, a reference voltage for detecting the voltage between both terminals of each battery. And a first voltage detecting means composed of a comparator, and
Batteries connected in series between a common terminal and the charging terminal
And a first switch means provided in series with each other, and the voltage across the series-connected batteries, or the individual voltage
Reference voltage and comparator for detecting the voltage between both terminals of the pond
Second voltage detection means configured by: and the common terminal
And a series connection with the battery connected in series between the discharge terminals
The second switch means connected to the first switch, and when the voltage of each battery exceeds a first predetermined value during charging, the first switch is based on each output of the first voltage detecting means. The means is turned off to interrupt the charging current, and when the voltage of each battery becomes less than the second predetermined value during discharging, or the total voltage of all the batteries becomes less than the third predetermined value.
When Tsu, before on the basis of an output of said second voltage detection means
An overcharge / overdischarge prevention device characterized in that the second switch means is turned off to interrupt the discharge current. 2. The overcharge / overdischarge prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switch means are n-channel FETs.