Control method for power storage device and current interruption device

Abstract

To provide a power storage device that reduces the risk of occurrence of an external short circuit.SOLUTION: A power storage device 50 for a vehicle includes a power storage cell 62, a current cutoff device 53 that cuts off current in the power storage cell 62, and a control unit 130. When the power storage device 50 is charged while not mounted on the vehicle, the control unit 130 controls the current cutoff device 53 to cut off the current in the power storage cell 62 after the charging.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for reducing the risk of an external short circuit occurring. [Background technology]

[0002] An in-vehicle power storage device has a current interruption device as one of its protection devices. When an abnormality such as an external short circuit is detected, the current interruption device opens to interrupt the current, thereby protecting the power storage device (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-5985 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since the state of charge (SOC) of a charged energy storage device is higher than before charging, if an external short circuit occurs and the current interrupter cannot be opened, the short-circuit current will continue to flow for a long time. If the short-circuit current continues to flow for a long time, the energy storage device, bus bars, and other components may heat up and be damaged. To improve safety, it is desirable to prevent an external short circuit from occurring in the charged electricity storage device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An on-board energy storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an energy storage cell, a current interruption device that interrupts current to the energy storage cell, and a control unit, and when the energy storage device is charged in a non-vehicle state, the control unit interrupts current to the energy storage cell using the current interruption device after charging.

[0006] This technique may be implemented as a control method for a current interruption device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The above aspect can reduce the risk of an external short circuit occurring. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Car side view [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vehicle [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of the battery [Figure 4] Plan view of a secondary battery cell [Figure 5] Cross section of line AA in Figure 4 [Figure 6] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery [Figure 7] Diagram showing the current path of a short-circuit current [Figure 8] Diagram showing relay state changes [Figure 9] Diagram showing the current path of the charging current [Figure 10] Flowchart of the process for reducing the risk of external short circuits [Figure 11A] Charging history stored in memory [Figure 11B] Charging history stored in memory [Figure 12] Flowchart of the process for reducing the risk of external short circuits [Figure 13] Recovery process flowchart [Figure 14] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery [Figure 15] Diagram showing relay state changes [Figure 16] Diagram showing relay state changes DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An outline of an in-vehicle power storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The vehicle-mounted energy storage device includes an energy storage cell, a current interruption device that interrupts the current to the energy storage cell, and a control unit, and when the energy storage device is charged while not mounted on the vehicle, the control unit interrupts the current to the energy storage cell using the current interruption device after charging.

[0010] When the power storage device is not mounted on a vehicle, it is considered that the power storage device is not in a state where it is immediately used (not in a state where it is receiving charge from a vehicle generator or discharging to a vehicle electrical load). If the power storage device is charged while not mounted on a vehicle, the current interruption device is opened after charging to interrupt the current in the storage cells. The power storage device is charged to a high SOC (e.g., 100%) immediately before being mounted on a vehicle. After such charging is completed, the current interruption device provided in the power storage device is opened. Alternatively, the power storage device may be charged to a certain SOC immediately before being shipped from the power storage device manufacturer (e.g., factory), and then the current interruption device provided in the power storage device may be opened.

[0011] By cutting off the current, even if a short-circuiting object such as a tool comes into contact with the external terminals when loading the charged energy storage device into a vehicle, no short-circuit current will flow. This reduces the risk of an external short circuit occurring in the charged energy storage device. Similarly, the risk of an external short circuit occurring during storage or transportation of the charged energy storage device can also be reduced.

[0012] The control unit may determine whether the power storage device is mounted on a vehicle or not after charging. With this configuration, if the power storage device is mounted on a vehicle immediately before charging, it is possible to prevent the power storage device from being erroneously determined to be "not mounted on a vehicle" after charging.

[0013] The control unit may determine whether the power storage device is on-board or off-board by communicating with the vehicle. If communication with the vehicle is possible, the power storage device is considered to be on-board and in use. This configuration can prevent the controller from erroneously determining that an on-board power storage device in use is "off-board."

[0014] When the power storage device is mounted on a vehicle, the control unit may cancel the current interruption by the current interruption device. With this configuration, there is no need to perform an operation to cancel the current interruption after the power storage device is mounted on the vehicle. This reduces the labor required by an operator to install the power storage device in the vehicle.

[0015] <Embodiment 1> 1. Description of Car 10 FIG. 1 is a side view of an automobile 10 as an example of a vehicle, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the automobile 10. As shown in FIG. The automobile 10 includes an engine 20 as a drive device, an engine control unit 21, an engine starting device 23, an alternator 25, a vehicle electric load 27, a vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 30, a first battery 50A, and a second battery 50B.

[0016] The first battery 50A is connected to a point A of the power supply line 37. The second battery 50B is connected to a point B of the power supply line 37.

[0017] A switch SW is provided between points A and B. By closing the switch SW, the two batteries 50A and 50B can be connected in parallel. By opening the switch SW, the two batteries 50A and 50B can be disconnected. The switch SW may be omitted or replaced with another configuration.

[0018] Of the power supply lines 37, the engine starting device 23 and the alternator 25 are connected to the power supply line 37A to which the first battery 50A is connected.

[0019] The engine starting device 23 has a starter motor. When the ignition switch 24 is turned on, a cranking current flows from the first battery 50A (or the second battery 50B), driving the engine starting device 23. Driving the engine starting device 23 rotates the crankshaft, starting the engine 20. The first battery 50A functions as a starting battery. If the vehicle can start traveling using a driving power storage device (high-voltage battery) instead of an internal combustion engine, the first battery 50A supplies power to enable the driving power storage device to start.

[0020] The alternator 25 is a vehicle generator that generates electricity using power from the engine 20. When the amount of electricity generated by the alternator 25 exceeds the electrical load of the automobile 10, the first battery 50A and the second battery 50B are charged by the alternator 25. When the amount of electricity generated by the alternator 25 is less than the electrical load of the automobile 10, the first battery 50A and the second battery 50B are discharged to make up for the shortage of electricity generated.

[0021] The vehicle electrical loads 27 and the vehicle ECU 30 are connected to the power supply line 37B, which is connected to the second battery 50B, among the power supply lines 37. The vehicle electrical loads 27 and the vehicle ECU 30 operate using the second battery 50B as a power source even when the first battery 50A is not mounted on the vehicle or when the switch SW is open. The second battery 50B functions as a redundant battery.

[0022] The vehicle electrical loads 27 are rated at 12V and include auxiliary equipment such as an air conditioner, audio equipment, and car navigation system.

[0023] The vehicle ECU 30 performs power supply management for the automobile 10. The vehicle ECU 30 is communicatively connected to the first battery 50A and the second battery 50B via communication lines L1 and L2, and is communicatively connected to the alternator 25 via communication line L3.

[0024] The vehicle ECU 30 receives SOC information from the two batteries 50A, 50B and controls the amount of power generated by the alternator 25, thereby controlling the SOC (state of charge) of the two batteries 50A, 50B.

[0025] 2. Description of the first battery 50A The structure of the first battery 50A will be described below with reference to FIGS. The first battery 50A shown in FIG. 3 includes a battery pack 60, a circuit board unit 65, and a housing 71. The housing 71 includes a main body 73 and a lid 74 made of synthetic resin material. The main body 73 is cylindrical and has a bottom. The main body 73 includes a bottom portion 75 and four side portions 76. The four side portions 76 form an upper opening 77 at the top end.

[0026] The housing 71 houses the battery pack 60 and the circuit board unit 65. The circuit board unit 65 is a board unit in which various components (such as the relay 53, the current detection unit 54, and the management device 110) are mounted on a circuit board 100, and is disposed above the battery pack 60.

[0027] The lid 74 closes the upper opening 77 of the main body 73. An outer peripheral wall 78 is provided around the periphery of the lid 74. The lid 74 has a protruding portion 79 that is generally T-shaped in plan view. The positive electrode external terminal 51 is fixed to one corner of the front of the lid 74, and the negative electrode external terminal 52 is fixed to the other corner.

[0028] The battery pack 60 is composed of a plurality of secondary battery cells 62. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, each secondary battery cell 62 has an electrode assembly 83 housed in a rectangular parallelepiped case 82 together with a non-aqueous electrolyte. The secondary battery cells 62 are, for example, lithium-ion secondary battery cells. The case 82 has a case body 84 and a lid 85 that closes the upper opening.

[0029] Although not shown in detail, the electrode body 83 is made up of a negative electrode element made of a copper foil substrate coated with an active material, and a positive electrode element made of an aluminum foil substrate coated with an active material, with a separator made of a porous resin film disposed between them. Both of these are strip-shaped, and are wound flat so that they can be housed in the case body 84, with the negative electrode element and the positive electrode element offset from each other on opposite sides in the width direction relative to the separator.

[0030] A positive electrode terminal 87 is connected to the positive electrode element via a positive electrode current collector 86, and a negative electrode terminal 89 is connected to the negative electrode element via a negative electrode current collector 88. The positive electrode current collector 86 and the negative electrode current collector 88 each comprise a flat base 90 and legs 91 extending from the base 90. A through hole is formed in the base 90. The legs 91 are connected to the positive electrode element or the negative electrode element.

[0031] The positive electrode terminal 87 and the negative electrode terminal 89 each comprise a terminal body 92 and a shaft 93 that protrudes downward from the center of the lower surface of the terminal body 92. Of these, the terminal body 92 and shaft 93 of the positive electrode terminal 87 are integrally molded from aluminum (a single material). In the negative electrode terminal 89, the terminal body 92 is made of aluminum, and the shaft 93 is made of copper, and these are assembled together. The terminal bodies 92 of the positive electrode terminal 87 and the negative electrode terminal 89 are arranged on both ends of the lid 85 via gaskets 94 made of an insulating material, and are exposed to the outside from these gaskets 94.

[0032] The lid 85 has a pressure relief valve 95. The pressure relief valve 95 is located between the positive terminal 87 and the negative terminal 89. The pressure relief valve 95 opens to reduce the internal pressure of the case 82 when the internal pressure of the case 82 exceeds a limit value. The secondary battery cells 62 are not limited to prismatic cells, but may be cylindrical cells or pouch cells having a laminated case.

[0033] 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the first battery 50 A. The first battery 50 A includes a battery pack 60, a relay 53, a current detection unit 54, a temperature sensor 55, and a management device 110.

[0034] The battery pack 60 is made up of a plurality of secondary battery cells 62. There are 12 secondary battery cells 62, which are connected in three parallel and four series configurations.

[0035] 6, three secondary battery cells 62 connected in parallel are represented by a single battery symbol. The secondary battery cells 12 are an example of "storage cells." In this embodiment, the first battery 50A is a so-called low-voltage battery, rated at 12 V.

[0036] The battery pack 60, the relay 53, and the current detection unit 54 are connected in series via power lines 58P and 58N. The power lines 58P and 58N can be made of a bus bar BSB, which is a plate-shaped conductor made of a metal material such as copper.

[0037] The power line 58P connects the positive external terminal 51 and the positive electrode of the battery pack 60. The power line 58N connects the negative external terminal 52 and the negative electrode of the battery pack 60.

[0038] The external terminals 51 and 52 are terminals for connection to the automobile 10. The engine starting device 23 and the alternator 25 can be electrically connected to the first battery 50A via the external terminals 51 and 52.

[0039] A relay 53 (an example of a current interruption device) is provided on the positive power line 58P.

[0040] In this embodiment, the relay 53 is a latching relay and includes a contact 53a, a set drive coil 53b, a switch 53c, a reset drive coil 53d, and a switch 53e. The relay 53 is connected to the positive electrode of the battery pack 60 via a power supply line L4, and operates using the battery pack 60 as a power source.

[0041] When switch 53c is closed and current flows from the battery pack 60 to the setting drive coil 53b, contact 53a can be held in a closed state. When switch 53e is closed and current flows from the battery pack 60 to the resetting drive coil 53d, contact 53a can be held in an open state.

[0042] The relay 53 is normally closed, and the contact 53a is usually held closed. In the event of an abnormality such as an external short circuit, the current to the first battery 50A can be cut off by passing a current through the reset drive coil 53d to hold the contact 53a in an open state (open). The relay 53 is a protective device that ensures the safety of the battery 50.

[0043] The current detection unit 54 is provided on the negative power line 58N. The current detection unit 54 measures the current I of the battery pack 60. The current detection unit 54 may be a shunt resistor. A resistive current detection unit 54 can distinguish between discharging and charging from the polarity (positive or negative) of the voltage. The temperature sensor 55 is of a contact or non-contact type and measures the temperature T [°C] of the battery pack 60.

[0044] The management device 110 is mounted on the circuit board 100 and is composed of a voltage detection unit 120 and a control unit 130. The management device 110 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack 60 by a power line L4, and operates using the battery pack 60 as a power source.

[0045] The voltage detection unit 120 is connected to both ends of each secondary battery cell 62 via a signal line, and measures the cell voltage Vs of each secondary battery cell 62. It also measures the total voltage Ev of the assembled battery 60 from the cell voltage Vs of each secondary battery cell 62. The total voltage Ev of the assembled battery 60 is the sum of the voltages of the four secondary battery cells 62 connected in series.

[0046] The control unit 130 includes a CPU 131 and a memory 133. The control unit 130 monitors the state of the first battery 50A based on the outputs of the current detection unit 54, the voltage detection unit 120, and the temperature sensor 55. That is, the control unit 130 monitors the current I, the total voltage Ev, and the temperature T of the battery pack 60.

[0047] The memory 133 stores a monitoring program for monitoring the state of the first battery 50A and a control program for the relay 53. Data necessary for executing these programs is also stored. The programs can be stored on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM and transferred. The programs can also be distributed via telecommunications lines.

[0048] The management device 110 is connected to the vehicle ECU 30 via a communication connector 135 and a communication line L1, and communicates with the vehicle ECU 30 via CAN communication or LIN communication. The control unit 130 can receive information on whether the engine 20 is operating or not from the vehicle ECU 30. Additionally, while the first battery 50A is being charged, the control unit 130 exchanges information with the vehicle ECU 30 via communication regarding the progress of the charging (for example, SOC and total voltage).

[0049] The second battery 50B may have the same structure as the first battery 50A, or may have a different structure. In the following description, the first battery 50A and the second battery 50B will be collectively referred to as battery 50.

[0050] 2. Reduced risk of external short circuits When a metal piece comes into contact with external terminals 51 and 52, a short-circuit current Is flows through battery 50 (FIG. 7: external short circuit).

[0051] When an external short circuit is detected, the short-circuit current Is can be interrupted by opening the relay 53. However, because the short-circuit current Is is large, the voltage drop due to the internal resistance of the battery pack 60 is large, and the battery pack 60 may not be able to maintain the drive voltage for the relay 53. If the drive voltage cannot be maintained, the relay 53 cannot be opened, and the short-circuit current Is may continue to flow.

[0052] In particular, if an external short circuit occurs in battery 50 with a high SOC after charging and relay 53 cannot be opened, the short-circuit current Is will continue to flow for a long time, which may cause the battery 50, bus bar BSB, relay 53, etc. to heat up and be damaged.

[0053] An external short circuit is likely to occur in the following two cases: (1) When a tool (metal) comes into contact with the external terminals 51 and 52 during the shipping process from the manufacturer or while the charged battery 50 is being stored at a vehicle dealership. (2) When the battery 50 is removed from the automobile 10 and charged with an external charger, and then the battery 50 is returned to the automobile 10, the external terminals 51 and 52 come into contact with a tool (metal) or the body of the automobile.

[0054] If the battery 50 is not mounted on the vehicle, it is considered that the battery 50 is not in a state to be used immediately. Therefore, when a non-mounted battery 50 that is unlikely to be used immediately is charged, the relay 53 is opened after charging is completed (FIGS. 8 and 9), and thereafter the relay 53 is maintained in the open state.

[0055] By opening the relay 53, no short-circuit current Is flows even if a short-circuiting object such as a tool comes into contact with the external terminals 51 and 52. This reduces the risk of the charged battery 50 causing an external short circuit.

[0056] The battery 50 can be determined to be on-board or off-board by communication with the vehicle ECU 30. For example, if there is communication with the vehicle ECU 30 while charging, the battery 50 determines that it is "on-board." If there is no communication with the vehicle ECU 30 while charging, the battery 50 determines that it is "off-board."

[0057] 3. Explanation of measures to reduce the risk of external short circuits 10 is a flowchart of the process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit. The process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit will be described below with the first battery 50A as the target. The first battery 50A is assumed to be controlled to "closed" at the start of the process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit.

[0058] The process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit is made up of steps S10 to S60, and is performed at a predetermined interval while the management device 110 is running, in parallel with monitoring the state of the first battery 50A.

[0059] After starting up the management device 110, the control unit 130 proceeds to S10 and determines whether charging has started. The start of charging can be determined by the presence or absence of charging current Ic. The charging current Ic can be measured by the current detection unit 54.

[0060] When the control unit 130 detects the start of charging, the process proceeds to S20, and the control unit 130 records a communication history during charging in the memory 133. The communication history includes the charging start time, a record of communication during charging, and the charging end time.

[0061] The communication record during charging is a record of communication performed with the vehicle ECU 30 during charging, and includes the time of communication and the content of communication (transmission and reception records of SOC and total voltage). Fig. 11A is a communication history when the first battery 50A was charged while mounted on the vehicle (charging was performed by the alternator). Fig. 11B is a communication history when the first battery 50A was charged while not mounted on the vehicle (charging was performed by an external charger).

[0062] Then, the process proceeds to S30, where the control unit 130 determines whether charging has ended. The end of charging can be determined by the presence or absence of charging current Ic. That is, when the current detection unit 54 no longer measures the charging current Ic, charging is determined to have ended. Note that the SOC at the end of charging may be 100% or less.

[0063] When the control unit 130 detects that charging has ended, the process proceeds to S40, where it determines whether or not communication has occurred with the vehicle ECU 30 during charging. The presence or absence of communication can be determined by accessing the memory 133 and referring to the communication history during charging.

[0064] If communication occurs during charging (as in FIG. 11A), control unit 130 determines that first battery 50A is in the "mounted on-board" state. In this case, control unit 130 keeps relay 53 "closed" (S50).

[0065] On the other hand, if there is no communication during charging (as in FIG. 11B), control unit 130 determines that first battery 50A is “not mounted on the vehicle.” In this case, control unit 130 “opens” relay 53 (S60).

[0066] 4.Effects According to this embodiment, when the battery 50 is not mounted on the vehicle, it is considered that the battery 50 is not in a state to be used immediately, and the relay 53 is opened after charging is completed.

[0067] Since the current is cut off by opening the relay 53, even if a short-circuiting object such as a tool comes into contact with the external terminals 51, 52 when the charged battery 50 is loaded into the automobile 10, the short-circuit current Is does not flow.

[0068] This reduces the risk of causing an external short circuit in the charged battery 50. Similarly, by cutting off the current after charging during storage or transportation of the charged battery 50, the risk of causing an external short circuit in the charged battery 50 can be reduced.

[0069] The control unit 130 determines whether the battery 50 is in an "on-vehicle" state or an "off-vehicle" state by This determination is made after charging is completed (S40). In this configuration, if the battery 50 is mounted on a vehicle immediately before charging, it is possible to prevent the battery 50 after charging from being mistakenly determined to be "not mounted on a vehicle."

[0070] The control unit 130 determines whether the battery 50 is in an "on-board" or "off-board" state by communicating with the automobile 10. If there is communication with the automobile 10, the battery 50 is considered to be in an on-board state and in use. This configuration reduces the risk of erroneously determining that an on-board battery 50 in use is "off-board."

[0071] <Embodiment 2> FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit occurring. The process for reducing the risk of an external short circuit shown in FIG. 12 differs from the process shown in FIG. 10 in that, after charging is completed, the first battery 50A transmits a notification to the vehicle ECU 30 requesting confirmation of connection (S35).

[0072] If the first battery 50A is mounted on the vehicle and can communicate with the vehicle ECU 30, the vehicle ECU 30 receives a connection confirmation notification transmitted from the first battery 50A. Upon receiving the notification from the first battery 50A, the vehicle ECU 30 returns a reception confirmation notification to the first battery 50A.

[0073] If there is a response to the connection confirmation from vehicle ECU 30 (S40: YES), control unit 130 determines that first battery 50A is in the "vehicle mounted" state. In this case, control unit 130 keeps relay 53 closed (S50).

[0074] On the other hand, if there is no response to the connection confirmation from vehicle ECU 30 (S40: YES), control unit 130 determines that first battery 50A is “not mounted on the vehicle.” In this case, control unit 130 opens relay 53 (S60).

[0075] According to the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, when the battery 50 is not mounted on the vehicle after charging is completed, the battery 50 is not considered to be in a state to be used immediately, and the relay 53 is opened. Therefore, the risk of the charged battery 50 causing an external short circuit can be reduced.

[0076] <Embodiment 3> FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the recovery process. The recovery process is performed when the relay 53 is opened (when S60 is executed) during the process to reduce the risk of an external short circuit. The recovery process will be described below for the first battery 50A. Before the recovery process begins, the first battery 50A is not mounted on the vehicle and has been charged, and the relay 53 is open.

[0077] The recovery process is made up of three steps, S110 to S 130. In S110, the control unit 130 determines whether the first battery 50A is "mounted in the vehicle."

[0078] The "on-vehicle" state can be determined by whether communication with the vehicle ECU 30 has resumed. It can also be determined by a change in voltage at the external terminal 51. FIG. 14 is a block diagram of the battery 50A equipped with a function for measuring the voltage at the external terminal 51. L5 shown in FIG. 14 is a signal line for detecting the voltage at the external terminal 51.

[0079] If the "not mounted on the vehicle" state continues, a NO determination is made in S110. In this case, the process proceeds to S120, where the control unit 130 keeps the relay 53 open.

[0080] If the first battery 50A is "mounted on the vehicle," the answer is YES in S110. In this case, the process proceeds to S130, where the control unit 130 switches the relay 53 from open to closed.

[0081] In this configuration, when the first battery 50A is mounted on the vehicle, the control unit 130 automatically closes the relay 53, so that the first battery 50A can be used immediately, as shown in Fig. 15. Therefore, there is no need to perform an operation to close the relay 53 after the battery 50A is mounted on the vehicle, which saves the user time and effort.

[0082] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0083] (1) In the first embodiment, of the first battery 50A and the second battery 50B, the "processing to reduce the risk of external short-circuit occurrence" shown in FIG. 10 was performed on the first battery 50A. The same process may be performed on the second battery 50B. The same process may be performed on both the two batteries 50A and 50B. The same applies to the other embodiments.

[0084] (2) In the first embodiment, a latch type capable of holding the contact 53a is shown as an example of the relay 53. The relay 53 is not limited to the latch type. The relay 53 may be a relay 53 without a latch function. The same applies to the other embodiments.

[0085] (3) In the first embodiment, the relay 53 having a mechanical contact is shown as an example of the current interruption device. However, the current interruption device is not limited to a relay. It may be a semiconductor switch such as a bipolar transistor or an FET. The same applies to the other embodiments.

[0086] (4) The secondary battery cells 62 are not limited to lithium-ion secondary batteries, and may be other non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. They may also be lead-acid battery cells. The secondary battery cells 62 are not limited to being connected in series and parallel, and may be connected in series or be single cells. A capacitor may be used instead of the secondary battery cells 62. Secondary battery cells and capacitors are examples of storage cells. The same applies to other embodiments.

[0087] (5) In the first embodiment, the communication between the automobile 10 and the battery 50 is wired, but it may be wireless. The same applies to the other embodiments.

[0088] (6) In the first embodiment, the state of first battery 50A, whether it is mounted on the vehicle or not, is determined after charging is completed. However, the determination of whether it is mounted on the vehicle or not may be made before charging starts. This also applies to the other embodiments.

[0089] (7) In the first embodiment, the state of the relay 53 before charging starts is "closed." The state of the relay 53 before charging starts may be either open or closed. As shown in FIG. 16 , the state of the relay 53 before charging starts may be "open." The state of the relay 53 may be switched from "open" to "closed" when charging is detected.

[0090] (8) In the first embodiment, the first battery 50A is used to start the engine, and the second battery 50B is used for auxiliary equipment (load). The uses of the two batteries 50A and 50B are not limited to those described in the embodiment. They may be low-voltage (12V system) and high-voltage (48V system) batteries. They may also be used for driving and vehicle systems. Also, two batteries with the same purpose may be provided as redundant units.

[0091] (9) In the third embodiment, when the installation of the first battery 50A in the vehicle is detected, the relay 53 is automatically closed. The relay 53 may be closed manually by the user. For example, the relay 53 may be closed using an external switch that can be operated from the outside. If the relay 53 does not have an automatic return function, the automobile 10 may be a single-power-supply type equipped with only one battery 50.

[0092] (10) In the first embodiment, the battery 50 is for an automobile. The battery 50 is not limited to an automobile, but may also be for a motorcycle. The battery 50 can be used for vehicles such as an automobile or a motorcycle. The battery 50 can also be used for purposes other than vehicles. For example, the battery 50 can be used for stationary purposes such as an uninterruptible power supply or a power storage device for a power generation system. The same applies to the other embodiments.

[0093] (11) The present technology can be implemented in the following manner. The power storage device includes a power storage cell, a current interruption device that interrupts current to the power storage cell, and a control unit, and after charging, the control unit controls the opening / closing of the current interruption device depending on the state of the power storage device. For example, when the power storage device is in a first state, the current interruption device may be closed, and when the power storage device is in a second state in which the risk of an external short circuit is higher than in the first state, the current interruption device may be open. Specific examples of the first and second states, in the case of a vehicle-mounted power storage device, are a state in which the device is mounted on a vehicle (first state) and a state in which the device is not mounted on a vehicle (second state). In the case of a stationary power storage device, the examples are a state in which the device is installed in equipment such as a UPS (first state) and a state in which the device is not installed (second state). [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 10. Automobiles 30 Vehicle ECU (vehicle control unit) 50A 1st battery (energy storage device) 50B Second battery (electricity storage device) 53 Relay (current interrupter) 54 Current detection section 60 battery packs 110 Management device 130 control section

Claims

1. An in-vehicle power storage device, A storage cell; a current interruption device that interrupts the current of the storage cell; a control unit; When the power storage device is charged while not mounted on the vehicle, the control unit causes the current interruption device to interrupt the current to the power storage cells after charging.

2. The in-vehicle power storage device according to claim 1, The control unit determines whether the power storage device is mounted on the vehicle or not after charging.

3. 3. The in-vehicle power storage device according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit determines whether the power storage device is mounted on the vehicle or not by communicating with the vehicle.

4. The in-vehicle power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The control unit cancels the current interruption by the current interruption device when the power storage device is mounted on a vehicle during current interruption.

5. An electricity storage device, A storage cell; a current interruption device that interrupts the current of the storage cell; a control unit; The control unit controls, after charging, whether the current interruption device is open or closed depending on whether the power storage device is mounted on a vehicle or not.

6. A control method for a current interruption device used in an in-vehicle power storage device, comprising: A control method for a current interruption device, wherein, when the power storage device is charged in a state where it is not mounted on a vehicle, the current interruption device interrupts the current of the power storage cell after charging.

Images