Power supply device for vehicle and method of controlling the same

• US 20070029986A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Oyobe, Hichirosai, Nakamura, Makoto, Yano, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/318
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/54 Windings for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power supply device for a vehicle includes a battery serving as a first electric storage device, a battery serving as a second electric storage device, a motor generator driving a wheel, a selection switch selecting one of the first and second electric storage devices and connecting the selected electric storage device to the motor generator, and a control device controlling switching of the selection switch in accordance with a state of charge of each of the first and second electric storage devices. In the case where the selection switch selects the first electric storage device, when charging is performed and the state of charge of the first electric storage device becomes higher than a first prescribed level, the control device instructs the selection switch to select the second electric storage device.

Claims

1. A power supply device for a vehicle comprising:

a first electric storage device;

a second electric storage device;

a first rotating electric machine driving a wheel;

a selection switch selecting one of said first and second electric storage devices and connecting the selected electric storage device to said first rotating electric machine; and

a control device controlling switching of said selection switch in accordance with a state of charge of each of said first and second electric storage devices,

in a case where said selection switch selects said first electric storage device, when charging is performed so that the state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes higher than a first prescribed level, said control device instructing said selection switch to select said second electric storage device.

2. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said charging in the case where said selection switch selects said first electric storage device is performed with regenerative electric power generated during a regenerative braking operation of said first rotating electric machine during running of the vehicle.

3. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where said selection switch selects said second electric storage device, when the state of charge of said second electric storage device becomes lower than a second prescribed level, said control device instructs said selection switch to select said first electric storage device.

4. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said second electric storage device has larger electricity storage capacity than said first electric storage device has.

5. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first electric storage device has larger maximum chargeable electric power than said second electric storage device has.

6. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit for receiving electric power supplied from outside of the vehicle and charging at least said second electric storage device.

7. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first inverter provided corresponding to said first rotating electric machine;

a second rotating electric machine; and

a second inverter provided corresponding to said second rotating electric machine;

wherein

said input unit includes

a first terminal connected to said first rotating electric machine, and

a second terminal connected to said second rotating electric machine, and

said control device controls said first and second inverters such that an alternating-current electric power supplied to said first and second terminals is converted into a direct-current electric power and supplied to said second electric storage device.

8. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

a rotary shaft of said first rotating electric machine is mechanically coupled to a rotary shaft of said wheel, and

the power supply device for the vehicle further comprises an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft mechanically coupled to a rotary shaft of said second rotating electric machine.

9. A power supply device for a vehicle, comprising:

a first electric storage device;

a second electric storage device;

a first rotating electric machine receiving electric power from said first electric storage device and driving a wheel;

a voltage converting unit provided between said first and second electric storage devices, for receiving and transferring electric power between said first and second electric storage devices; and

a control device controlling said voltage converting unit in accordance with a state of charge of each of said first and second electric storage devices,

in a case where charging of said first electric storage device is performed, when the state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes higher than a first prescribed level, said control device instructing said voltage converting unit to perform a voltage converting operation such that said second electric storage device is charged from said first electric storage device.

10. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said charging of said first electric storage device is performed with regenerative electric power generated during a regenerative braking operation of said first rotating electric machine during running of the vehicle.

11. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein, when energy in said first electric storage device is consumed and the state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes lower than a second prescribed level, said control device instructs said voltage converting unit to perform the voltage converting operation such that said first electric storage device is charged from said second electric storage device.

12. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said second electric storage device has larger electricity storage capacity than said first electric storage device has.

13. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said first electric storage device has larger maximum chargeable electric power than said second electric storage device has.

14. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising an input unit for receiving electric power supplied from outside of the vehicle and charging at least said second electric storage device.

15. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first inverter provided corresponding to said first rotating electric machine;

a second rotating electric machine; and

a second inverter provided corresponding to said second rotating electric machine;

wherein

said input unit includes

a first terminal connected to said first rotating electric machine, and

a second terminal connected to said second rotating electric machine, and

said control device controls said first and second inverters and said voltage converting unit such that an alternating-current electric power supplied to said first and second terminals is converted into a direct-current electric power, and supplied to said second electric storage device.

16. The power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

a rotary shaft of said first rotating electric machine is mechanically coupled to a rotary shaft of a wheel, and

the power supply device for the vehicle further comprises an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft mechanically coupled to a rotary shaft of said second rotating electric machine.

17. A method of controlling a power supply device for a vehicle, the power supply device including first and second electric storage devices, a first rotating electric machine driving a wheel, and a selection switch selecting one of said first and second electric storage devices and connecting the selected electric storage device to said first rotating electric machine, comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not charging is performed when said selection switch selects said first electric storage device;

determining whether or not a state of charge of said first electric storage device is higher than a first prescribed level; and

instructing said selection switch to select said second electric storage device when the state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes higher than the first prescribed level.

18. The method of controlling the power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said charging when said selection switch selects said first electric storage device is performed with regenerative electric power generated during a regenerative braking operation of said first rotating electric machine during running of the vehicle.

19. A method of controlling a power supply device for a vehicle, the power supply device including first and second electric storage devices, a first rotating electric machine receiving electric power from said first electric storage device and driving a wheel, and a voltage converting unit provided between said first and second electric storage devices and receiving and transferring electric power between said first and second electric storage devices, comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not charging of said first electric storage device is performed;

determining whether or not a state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes higher than a first prescribed level; and

instructing said voltage converting unit to perform a voltage converting operation such that said second electric storage device is charged from said first electric storage device when the state of charge of said first electric storage device becomes higher than the first prescribed level.

20. The method of controlling the power supply device for the vehicle according to claim 19, wherein said charging of said first electric storage device is performed with regenerative electric power generated during a regenerative braking operation of said first rotating electric machine during running of the vehicle.