Storage battery managing apparatus and vehicle controlling apparatus providing the same

A vehicle controlling apparatus comprising:

• a storage battery managing apparatus including:
• a storage battery having a plurality of chargeable-dischargeable unit cells connected therein;
• cell voltage detection means for detecting the voltage of each unit cell;
• storage battery voltage detection means for detecting the storage battery voltage;
• and current detection means for detecting a current flowing under no-load conditions or charge-discharge conditions of the storage battery;
• and
• a vehicle controlling apparatus including vehicle control means for converting the power supplied from the storage battery to AC power by use of an inverter, supplying the AC power to a vehicle drive motor, converting the power outputted when the motor operates as a dynamo by use of the inverter, storing the power in the storage battery, and controlling the inverter;
• thereby controlling the drive of the motor;
• wherein said storage battery managing apparatus includes processing means for obtaining a degree of SOC imbalance by use of the cell voltage of each unit cell detected by the cell voltage detection means when the storage battery is being neither charged nor discharged;
• wherein said storage battery managing apparatus includes processing means for calculating highest and lowest SOCs from the average SOC obtained from the storage battery voltage detected by the storage battery voltage detection means and the degree of SOC imbalance when the storage battery is being charged or discharged, thereby managing charge-discharge current and charge-discharge power;
• and
• wherein said vehicle control means controls the inverter such that the storage battery is operated within ranges of the permissible charge currents or the permissible charge power and the permissible discharge currents or the permissible discharge power determined by said storage battery managing apparatus.