Power Supply Control Device

• US 20080002322A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirasawa, Takahiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/79
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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: H01H 47/002 Monitoring or fail-safe circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

A control device determines that a system relay for precharging is welded when, after generation of a signal at the H level upon starting of a vehicle system to turn on only a cathode-side system relay, a precharge current is at least a reference value. When it is determined that the system relay for precharging is welded, the control device immediately turns off the cathode-side system relay without determining welding of cathode-side and anode-side system relays and performs discharging of a capacitor. In this situation, the control device determines welding of the cathode-side system relay based on a voltage between both ends of the capacitor. When it is determined that the system relay for precharging is not welded, welding of the cathode-side and anode-side system relays is determined upon termination of the vehicle system.

Claims

1. A power supply control device, comprising:

a first relay and a resistance connected in series between an anode of a DC power supply and a load;

a second relay connected between the anode of said DC power supply and said load in parallel with said first relay and the resistance connected in series;

a third relay connected between a cathode of said DC power supply and said load;

a current sensor detecting a DC current flowing through said resistance;

a capacity element having one terminal connected to a cathode side of said DC power supply via said third relay and the other terminal connected to an anode side of said DC power supply via said first relay and the resistance connected in series and said second relay to supply power supplied from said DC power supply to said load;

a voltage sensor detecting a voltage between both ends of said capacity element; and

a determination portion determining welding of said first to third relays;

wherein said determination portion includes

a first determination portion determining welding of said first relay based on a DC current detected with said current sensor,

a second determination portion determining welding of each of said second and third relays based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor in each of situations wherein only said third relay is brought into conduction and only said first relay is brought into conduction according to a prescribed pattern after performance of said first determination portion, and

a determination stop portion stopping performance of said second determination portion when said first determination portion determines that said first relay is welded.

2. The power supply control device according to claim 1, wherein

said second determination portion determines welding of said second relay based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor when only said third relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load, and

said determination stop portion includes a power supply portion bringing said second and third relays out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

3. The power supply control device according to claim 2, wherein

said determination stop portion further includes a third determination portion determining welding of said third relay based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

4. The power supply control device according to claim 3, wherein

said third determination portion determines that said third relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage out of a prescribed voltage range when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction.

5. The power supply control device according to claim 2, wherein

said determination stop portion further includes a third determination portion determining welding of said third relay based on a DC current detected with said current sensor when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

6. The power supply control device according to claim 5, wherein

said third determination portion determines that said third relay is welded when said current sensor detects a DC current of at least a reference value when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction.

7. The power supply control device according to claim 1, wherein

said first determination portion determines that said first relay is welded when said current sensor detects a DC current of at least a reference value when only said third relay is brought into conduction.

8. The power supply control device according to claim 1, wherein

said second determination portion determines that said second relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage out of a prescribed voltage range when only said third relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load, and determines that said third relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage of at least a threshold value when only said first relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

9. A power supply control device, comprising:

a first relay and a resistance connected in series between an anode of a DC power supply and a load;

a second relay connected between the anode of said DC power supply and said load in parallel with said first relay and the resistance connected in series;

a third relay connected between a cathode of said DC power supply and said load;

a current sensor detecting a DC current flowing through said resistance;

a capacity element having one terminal connected to a cathode side of said DC power supply via said third relay and the other terminal connected to an anode side of said DC power supply via said first relay and the resistance connected in series and said second relay to supply power supplied from said DC power supply to said load;

a voltage sensor detecting a voltage between both ends of said capacity element; and

a determination portion determining welding of said first to third relays;

wherein

said determination portion includes

first determination means for determining welding of said first relay based on a DC current detected with said current sensor,

second determination means for determining welding of each of said second and third relays based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor in each of situations wherein only said third relay is brought into conduction and only said first relay is brought into conduction according to a prescribed pattern after performance of said first determination means, and

determination stop means for stopping performance of said second determination means when said first determination means determines that said first relay is welded.

10. The power supply control device according to claim 9, wherein

said second determination means includes means for determining welding of said second relay based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor when only said third relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load, and

said determination stop means includes means for bringing said second and third relays out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

11. The power supply control device according to claim 10, wherein

said determination stop means further includes third determination means for determining welding of said third relay based on a voltage detected with said voltage sensor when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

12. The power supply control device according to claim 11, wherein

said third determination means determines that said third relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage out of a prescribed voltage range when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction.

13. The power supply control device according to claim 10, wherein

said determination stop means further includes third determination means for determining welding of said third relay based on a DC current detected with said current sensor when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.

14. The power supply control device according to claim 13, wherein

said third determination means determines that said third relay is welded when said current sensor detects a DC current of at least a reference value when said second and third relays are brought out of conduction.

15. The power supply control device according to claim 9, wherein

said first determination means determines that said first relay is welded when said current sensor detects a DC current of at least a reference value when only said third relay is brought into conduction.

16. The power supply control device according to claim 9, wherein

said second determination means includes

means for determining that said second relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage out of a prescribed voltage range when only said third relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load, and

means for determining that said third relay is welded when said voltage sensor detects a voltage of at least a threshold value when only said first relay is brought into conduction to supply power from said capacity element to said load.