JP3973110B1 - Capacitor module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a capacitor module with improved user convenience and maintainability by a service person.
The present invention relates to an electric double layer capacitor, power supply lines a and b for supplying electric power stored in the electric double layer capacitor to a connected electric device, and a signal line from the electric device. c, a discharge control circuit 40 for controlling the discharge of the electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 50, and the maintenance switch 31, and the discharge control circuit 40 is connected to the signal line c. The discharge control is stopped by the discharge stop command signal from, the discharge control is executed by the absence of the discharge stop command signal from the signal line c, and the discharge control is executed by the discharge command signal d issued by the operation of the maintenance switch 31. It is characterized by that.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a capacitor module including an electric double layer capacitor or the like.

In recent years, electric double layer capacitors capable of charging and discharging a large current have attracted attention. Such an electric double layer capacitor is a capacitor that uses an electric double layer formed by the polarization of ions at the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte, and can charge a larger capacitance than a conventional capacitor, Rapid charging / discharging is possible and its application is expected. Applications of the electric double layer capacitor include memory backup, electric vehicle power assist, and power storage battery replacement, and are widely studied from small capacity products to large capacity products. (For example, see Non-Patent Document 1)
Ikuo Okamura “Electric Double Layer Capacitor and Power Storage System” March 31, 1999, first edition, first edition, published by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, pages 1-12

  When the electric double layer capacitor as described above is used in the form of a module, it is a problem to improve the convenience of the user and the maintenance by a service person. However, in the conventional electric double layer capacitor module, The current situation is that this is not taken into consideration.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems. The invention according to claim 1 is directed to a capacitor, a power supply line that supplies power stored in the capacitor to an electric device connected thereto, In a capacitor module comprising a signal line from the device, a discharge control circuit for controlling the discharge of the electric charge stored in the capacitor, and the maintenance switch, the discharge control circuit stops discharging from the signal line. The discharge control is stopped by a command signal, the discharge control is executed by the absence of the discharge stop command signal from the signal line, and the discharge control is executed by a discharge command signal generated by operating the maintenance switch. .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the capacitor module according to the first aspect, in the discharge control, the charge stored in the capacitor is discharged through the semiconductor element.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the capacitor module according to the second aspect, the semiconductor element is attached to a heat dissipation member.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the capacitor module according to the third aspect, the heat dissipating member is attached with a heat dissipating fan that operates by the electric charge stored in the capacitor.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the capacitor module according to the third or fourth aspect, a temperature detection element is attached to the heat radiating member, and the discharge control is performed according to temperature detection by the temperature detection element. Circuit on / off control is performed.

  According to the capacitor module of the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience for the user and improve the maintainability by a service person or the like.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a capacitor module according to an embodiment of the present invention and an electric device that receives power from the capacitor module.

  In FIG. 1, 10 is an electric device, 20 is a connector, 30 is a capacitor module, 31 is a maintenance switch, 40 is a discharge control circuit, and 50 is an electric double layer capacitor.

  The electrical device 10 is a device that operates by receiving power from the capacitor module 30 and is connected to the capacitor module 30 via the connector 20. The connector 20 relays at least the power supply lines a and b and the signal line c.

  The electric double layer capacitor 50 used in the capacitor module 30 is charged by an unillustrated charging circuit and supplies power to the connected electric device 10 by discharging. The discharge control circuit 40 is a circuit that discharges the electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 50 in order to remove the capacitor module 30 from the electric device 10. Such a discharge control circuit 40 is configured not to operate during normal use for supplying power to the electric device 10. The control signal c is a discharge stop command signal that stops the operation of the discharge control circuit 40. Further, it is also configured to operate in response to a discharge command signal d issued by the operation of the discharge control circuit 40 and the maintenance switch 31 of a user or serviceman.

  The connector 20 is an electrical connection means between the electrical device 10 and the capacitor module 30, and has at least power supply lines a and b and a signal line c. Can also be accommodated.

  The capacitor module 30 is configured to be detachable from the electric device 10. In the state where it is removed from the electric device 10, it is preferable in handling the capacitor module 30 that the electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 50 is as small as possible. Therefore, the discharge control circuit 40 as described above is used.

  In a state where the capacitor module 30 is attached to the electric device 10, the discharge control circuit 40 is maintained in a state where no discharge control is performed by the discharge stop command signal c from the electric device 10. When the capacitor module 30 is removed from the electric device 10, the discharge stop command signal c is lost, and the discharge control of the discharge control circuit 40 is executed. Further, the discharge control circuit 40 is configured to execute the discharge control also by the discharge command signal d generated by the operation of the maintenance switch 31 even when the capacitor module 30 is attached to the electric device 10. Such a maintenance switch 31 can be used in a stage before the capacitor module 30 is removed from the electric device 10 for maintenance or the like. According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a capacitor module with improved user convenience and maintainability by a service person.

  The electric double layer capacitor 50 is given as an example of a power storage element, and other power storage elements may be used in the present invention.

  Next, the circuit configuration of the capacitor module according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of the capacitor module according to the embodiment of the present invention. The one shown in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and the capacitor module of the present invention can also be configured by other circuits that realize the functions described above.

  In FIG. 2, the discharge control circuit 40 comprises a transistor Tr, a resistor R0, a comparator CMP, a switch means SW, a resistor R1, and a reference voltage Vref as shown in the figure. The electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 50 is mainly a current Ic flowing through the collector of the transistor Tr, and is consumed by the heat generation of the transistor Tr. The resistor R0 detects a current flowing through the collector current Ic. The detected current value is input to the comparator CMP. The comparator CMP compares the reference voltage Vref and the detected value of the collector current Ic, and controls on / off of the transistor Tr.

  The switch means SW is for turning on / off the power supply to the comparator CMP, and is set to be turned off by the discharge stop command signal c and to be turned on when the discharge stop command signal c disappears. Further, the switch means SW is set so as to be turned on also by a discharge command signal d issued by operating the maintenance switch 31.

  By configuring the switch means SW as described above, the discharge control circuit 40 stops the discharge control by the discharge stop command signal c from the signal line c, and the absence of the discharge stop command signal c from the signal line c. The discharge control is executed, and the discharge control is executed by a discharge command signal d issued by operating the maintenance switch 31.

  Next, another embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of a capacitor module according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a mounting example of a discharge control circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. .

  The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a heat radiating fan 32 for cooling the transistor Tr is provided. The cooling fan 32 is powered from a power supply circuit to the comparator CMP and is turned on / off in conjunction with the switch means SW. FIG. 4 shows a mounting example of the transistor Tr and the heat radiating fan 32. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 35 denotes a heat radiating member such as a heat sink, and the transistor Tr and the heat radiating fan 32 are attached to the heat radiating member 35 so that heat generated from the transistor Tr is efficiently released. In the present embodiment, the electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 50 is used not only to supply power to the cooling fan 32 but also to efficiently release the heat generated from the transistor Tr. As a result, the electric charge of the electric double layer capacitor 50 can be reduced more quickly.

  Next, another embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of a capacitor module according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a mounting example of a discharge control circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. .

  This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a thermostat 33 is provided. This thermostat 33 is provided in a power supply circuit to the comparator CMP, and the comparator CMP is turned on and off separately from the switch means SW.

  FIG. 6 shows a mounting example of the transistor Tr and the thermostat 33. As shown in FIG. 6, a transistor Tr and a thermostat 33 are attached to a heat radiating member 35 such as a heat sink, and the thermostat 33 is set to be turned off when a limit temperature of the transistor Tr is detected. As described above, in the present embodiment, since the on / off control of the discharge control circuit 40 is performed according to the temperature detection by the temperature detection element such as the thermostat 33, the transistor Tr is not destroyed without destroying the transistor Tr. It can be used to an acceptable limit, and the charge of the electric double layer capacitor 50 can be reduced more quickly.

  As described above, according to the capacitor module of the present invention, the discharge control circuit 40 quickly charges the electric double layer capacitor 50 when the capacitor module 30 is removed from the electric device 10 or when the maintenance switch 31 is operated. Therefore, it is possible to improve the convenience for the user and improve the maintainability by a service person or the like.

  In the above description, various embodiments have been described. However, any combination of components of each embodiment also falls within the scope of the present invention.

It is a block diagram of the electric device which receives supply of the electric power from the capacitor module and capacitor module which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the circuit structure of the capacitor module which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the circuit structure of the capacitor module which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of mounting of the discharge control circuit which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the circuit structure of the capacitor module which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of mounting of the discharge control circuit which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electric device, 20 ... Connector, 30 ... Capacitor module, 31 ... Maintenance switch, 32 ... Radiation fan, 33 ... Thermostat, 35 ... Radiation member, 40. ..Discharge control circuit, 50 ... Electric double layer capacitor

Claims (5)

A capacitor;
A power feed line that feeds power stored in the capacitor to the connected electrical device;
A signal line from the electrical device;
A discharge control circuit for controlling the discharge of the electric charge stored in the capacitor;
In the capacitor module comprising the maintenance switch,
The discharge control circuit stops discharge control by a discharge stop command signal from the signal line, executes discharge control by the absence of the discharge stop command signal from the signal line, and discharges generated by operation of the maintenance switch A capacitor module that performs discharge control according to a command signal. 2. The capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein in the discharge control, the electric charge stored in the capacitor is discharged through the semiconductor element. The capacitor module according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor element is attached to a heat radiating member. The capacitor module according to claim 3, wherein a heat radiating fan is attached to the heat radiating member and is operated by electric charges stored in the capacitor. 5. The capacitor module according to claim 3, wherein a temperature detection element is attached to the heat radiating member, and the discharge control circuit is on / off controlled in accordance with temperature detection by the temperature detection element. 6. .

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