Vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, and method for charging an energy storage cell of a vehicle

• US 10,421,364 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Kristof, Thomas, Herke, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US15/806,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20180134167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, having a charging apparatus for charging a vehicle-integrated energy storage cell by means of an external voltage source, wherein the charging apparatus has a charge pump for setting a voltage ratio between an input voltage and an output voltage, wherein the charge pump provides at east two discrete voltage ratios.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle-integrated energy storage cell; and

a charging apparatus comprising a charge pump for setting a voltage ratio between an input voltage from an external voltage source and an output voltage to the vehicle-integrated energy storage cell, wherein the charge pump includes;

a plurality of switches,

at least two link circuits interconnected with the switches to be selectively connectable between parallel and series by closed and open interconnection with the switches for setting different voltage ratios between the input voltage from the external voltage source and the output voltage to the vehicle-integrated energy storage cell, each link circuit including a respective diode and a respective link circuit capacitor,

a first mesh comprising a primary capacitor, and

a second mesh comprising a secondary capacitor and the at least two link circuits;

wherein the output voltage is tapped across the primary capacitor and the secondary capacitor.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output voltage is applied to the energy storage cell and, when the energy storage cell is being charged, the voltage of the external power supply is applied to the charge pump as the input voltage.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging apparatus further comprises a control apparatus for automatically setting the voltage ratios.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charge pump is configured to set a plurality of discrete voltage ratios.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle-integrated energy storage cell is configured to supply power to an electric machine.

6. A method for charging a vehicle-integrated energy storage cell, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charge pump having the at least two link circuits is used to change between a plurality of discrete voltage ratios, between the input voltage and the output voltage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle-integrated energy storage cell is in a vehicle.