Japanese Groups Release Lithium-Ion Battery Guidelines

TOKYO — Responding to a rash of overheating problems involving lithium-ion batteries made by Sony and others, Japanese industry associations on Friday (April 20) released new safety guidelines that stress avoiding high-voltage charging.

The guidelines released jointly by the Japan Electronics & Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) and the Battery Association of Japan include steps for battery cell and package design and safety steps.

According to the guidelines, overheating problems occur at high charge voltages and in the commingling of foreign substances in battery cells. The guidelines also stress the importance of avoiding voltages higher than the rated voltage set by battery manufacturers. That implies that high-speed charging using higher than rated voltages should be avoided.

JEITA said it plans to release more details next week.