Electric power source

• US 20030058668A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Uchida, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,693,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/59
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

In an electric power source for supplying an electric power from a battery to an electric power line with boosting a voltage generated by the battery so that the electric power of boosted voltage is supplied to the electric power line, a main switch device prevents the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source and the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source in a case in which the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is less than a target voltage not less than a voltage of the electric power line, while allowing the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source when the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is not less than the target voltage.

Claims

1. An electric power source for supplying an electric power from a battery to an electric power line extending at an outside of the electric power source with boosting a voltage generated by the battery so that the electric power of boosted voltage is supplied to the electric power line, comprising,

a main switch device operable to switch on and off the electric power supply from the electric power source to the outside of the electric power source, and

a voltage booster operable to boost the voltage generated by the battery to generate the electric power of boosted voltage,

wherein the main switch device prevents the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source and the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source in a case in which the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is less than a target voltage not less than a voltage of the electric power line, while allowing the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source when the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is not less than the target voltage.

2. An electric power source according to claim 1, further comprising a detector operable to detect whether or not an electric communication is formed between the electric power source and the electric power line so that the electric power of boosted voltage is allowed to be supplied from the electric power source to the electric power line, wherein the voltage booster is allowed to boost the voltage generated by the battery to generate the electric power of boosted voltage when the electric communication is formed between the electric power source and the electric power line.

3. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the voltage booster includes a capacitor for storing the electric power of boosted voltage to be supplied into the electric power line.

4. An electric power source according to claim 1, further comprising a detector operable to detect whether or not an electric communication is formed between the electric power source and the electric power line so that the electric power of boosted voltage is allowed to be supplied from the electric power source to the electric power line, wherein the main switch device prevents the electric power supply from the electric power source to the outside of the electric power source and the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source in at least one of a case in which the electric communication is not formed between the electric power source and the electric power line and the case in which the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is less than the target voltage, while allowing the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source when the electric communication is formed between the electric power source and the electric power line and the boosted voltage to be supplied to the electric power line is not less than the target voltage.

5. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the target voltage is more than the voltage of the electric power line.

6. An electric power source according to claim 1, further comprising a supplemental switch device operable to switch on and off the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source, and a voltage step-down circuit operable to decrease a voltage of the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source to be electrically charged into the battery, wherein the voltage step-down circuit decreases a voltage of the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source when the supplemental switch device allows the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source and the voltage booster is prevented from boosting the voltage.

7. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the main switch device includes a diode operable to prevent the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source and allow the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source, and boosting the voltage by the voltage booster is stopped in response to detecting that the diode allows the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source.

8. An electric power source according to claim 7, wherein the boosted voltage is equal to the target voltage when the diode allows the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source.

9. An electric power source according to claim 2, wherein the detector is operable to detect a mechanical connection for the electric communication between the electric power source and the electric power line.

10. An electric power source according to claim 2, wherein the detector is operable to detect a manual operation of a connector switch operated by an operator when the electric power source is electrically connected to the electric power line.

11. An electric power source according to claim 4, wherein the detector is operable to detect a mechanical connection for the electric communication between the electric power source and the electric power line.

12. An electric power source according to claim 4, wherein the detector is operable to detect a manual operation of a connector switch operated by an operator when the electric power source is electrically connected to the electric power line.

13. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the voltage booster is operable to increase a value of the boosted voltage in response to detecting that the boosted voltage is less than the target voltage.

14. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the main switch device includes a diode operable to prevent the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source and allow the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source, and the voltage booster is operable to increase a value of the boosted voltage in response to detecting that the diode is prevented from allowing the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source.

15. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the voltage booster is allowed to boost the voltage generated by the battery to generate the electric power of boosted voltage when the main switch device allows the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source.

16. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the main switch device includes a diode operable to prevent the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source and allow the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source, and the voltage booster is prevented from increasing a value of the boosted voltage in response to detecting that the diode allows the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source.

17. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the voltage booster is prevented from increasing a value of the boosted voltage when the boosted voltage is more than the target voltage.

18. An electric power source according to claim 1, further comprising a detector operable to detect whether or not an electric communication is formed between the electric power source and the electric power line so that the electric power of boosted voltage is allowed to be supplied from the electric power source to the electric power line, wherein the voltage booster is prevented from increasing a value of the boosted voltage when the electric communication is not formed between the electric power source and the electric power line.

19. An electric power source according to claim 1, wherein the main switch device includes a diode operable to prevent the electric power supply from the electric power line into the electric power source and allow the electric power supply into the electric power line from the electric power source, and the target voltage is set at a voltage value of the boosted voltage at which the boosted voltage enables the diode to allow the electric power supply into the electric power line from the voltage booster.

20. An electric power source according to claim 19, wherein boosting the voltage by the voltage booster is controlled in such a manner that the boosted voltage is kept within a voltage range including the target voltage.