Refueling Facility, Refueling Device, and Refueling Method

• US 20070298313A1
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iida, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/037 Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0341 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0178 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0189 Planes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/02 for filling with liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/00 : Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A refueling facility (200) according to the present invention comprises a refueling source (210) for refueling a fuel cell vehicle with fuel, a power supply source (220) for supplying power to the fuel cell vehicle, and a controller (230) for controlling refueling and power supply from the refueling facility (200) to the fuel cell vehicle. The forward end of a refueling path (211) and that of a power supply path (221) are integrated into a supply connector (240). The refueling and the power supply are achieved by connecting the supply connector (240) to a fuel receptacle (110) of the fuel cell vehicle.

Claims

1. A refueling device for a moving object which includes a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied and a first battery for supplying power to a motor for generating a driving force of the moving object, and a power supply unit for supplying power to a power consuming device mounted on the moving object and operating with power supplied from the first battery during refueling, the refueling device comprising:

a refueling connector for refueling the fuel tank from an outside facility and a power supply connector for supplying power to at least the first battery from the outside facility,

wherein the refueling device can perform the refueling of the fuel tank, the power supply to the first battery, and the power supply to the power supply unit at a time.

2. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit includes a second battery whose output voltage is lower than that of the first battery and a power converter for lowering the output voltage of the first battery and supplying power to the second battery.

3. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the refueling connector is integrated with the power supply connector.

5. A refueling device for a moving object according to any of claims 1, wherein the power consuming device is a temperature control mechanism of the fuel tank.

6. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, further comprising control means for detecting the state of charge of the first battery and controlling the power supply from the outside facility to the first battery according to a detection result.

7. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 6, wherein the control means supplies the power from the outside facility to the first battery if the state of charge of the first battery is equal to or lower than a preset first reference value.

9. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 6, wherein the control means supplies power from the first battery to the second battery included in the power supply unit upon detecting that the state of charge of the second battery whose output voltage is lower than that of the first battery is equal to or lower than a preset second reference value.

10. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is gas fuel.

11. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is a high pressure fuel tank or a fuel absorbing alloy tank.

12. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 3, further comprising a status signal line for sending or receiving a status signal to or from the outside facility, wherein the refueling connector, the power supply connector, and an electrical signal connector disposed at the forward end of the status signal line are integrated into a connector.

13. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 12, wherein the status signal includes a signal indicating the status of the fuel tank or the status of the battery.

14. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 12, wherein the integrated connector is provided with a ground wire.

4. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

15. A refueling facility for a moving object for refueling the moving object, which includes a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied, a first battery for supplying power to a motor for generating a driving force, and a power supply unit for supplying power to a power consuming device operating with power supplied from the first battery during refueling, the refueling facility comprising:

a refueling source;

a power supply source;

a refueling connector for refueling the moving object from the refueling source; and

a power supply connector for supplying power to the moving object from the power supply source,

wherein the refueling of the fuel tank, the power supply to the first battery, and the power supply to the power supply unit can be performed at a time.

16. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 15, wherein the refueling connector is integrated with the power supply connector.

17. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 16, further comprising a status signal line for sending or receiving a status signal to or from the moving object, wherein the refueling connector, the power supply connector, and an electrical signal connector disposed at the forward end of the status signal line are integrated into a connector.

18. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 17, wherein the status signal includes a signal indicating the status of the fuel tank mounted on the moving object or the status of the battery mounted on the moving object.

19. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 17, wherein the integrated connector is provided with a ground wire.

20. A refueling method wherein an outside facility equipped with a refueling source and a power supply source supplies a moving object, which has a fuel tank, a first battery for supplying power to a motor generating a driving force, a fuel consuming device, and a battery for supplying power to the power consuming device, and a battery for supplying power to the power consuming device, operating with power supplied from the first battery during refueling, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the power consuming device, with fuel to the fuel tank, power to the first battery, and power to the power supply unit at a time.

21. A refueling method according to claim 20, wherein the fuel and the power are supplied at a time if the state of charge of the first battery is equal to or lower than a first reference value.