Charging device

• US 20080084184A1
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ohnuki, Yasumichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,936,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/24 using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A charging device has an electric accumulator (20) formed by a plurality of series-connected electric accumulator cells (E1, E2, . . . , En), one electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells being used as a reference potential of the electric accumulator (20); at least one capacitor (C1) having one end fixed to the potential of one electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells (E1, E2, . . . , En) or fixed to the potential of the other electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells (E1, E2, . . . , En) through a rectifying means (D11, D12); and a periodical power source (30) connected between the capacitor (C1) and the reference potential of the electric accumulator to generate repetitive signals.

Claims

1. A charging device comprising:

an electric accumulator formed by a plurality of series-connected electric accumulator cells, one electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells being used as a reference potential of the electric accumulator;

at least one capacitor having one end fixed to the potential of one electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells or fixed to the potential of the other electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells through a rectifying means; and

a periodical power source connected between the capacitor and the reference potential of the electric accumulator to generate repetitive signals.

2. The charging device according to claim 1,

wherein the periodical power source is a rectangular wave power source which alternately outputs a high momentary voltage and a low momentary voltage, and

wherein the rectifying means fixes the one end of the capacitor either to the potential of the one electrode or to the potential of the other electrode, whichever is higher, when the rectangular wave power source outputs the high momentary voltage, and fixes the one end of the capacitor either to the potential of the one electrode or to the potential of the other electrode, whichever is lower, when the rectangular wave power source outputs the low momentary voltage.

3. The charging device according to claim 2,

wherein the periodical power source includes a first periodical power source and a second periodical power source which has an inverted phase with respect to the first periodical power source, and

wherein the capacitor includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor, the other end of the first capacitor being fixed to the voltage of the first periodical power source and the other end of the second capacitor being fixed to the voltage of the second periodical power source.

4. A charging device capable of charging any one of a plurality of series-connected electric accumulator cells which form an electric accumulator, the charging device comprising:

a charging circuit; and

a rectangular wave power source,

wherein the charging circuit has a plurality of sub circuits for each of the electric accumulator cells, the sub circuits each having a first diode, a second diode and a capacitor, an anode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode being connected to one end of the capacitor, a cathode of the first diode being connected to a positive electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, an anode of the second diode being connected to a negative electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, and

wherein the rectangular wave power source applies a rectangular wave voltage to the other end of the capacitor of any one of the sub circuits of the charging circuit.

7. The charging device according to claim 4,

wherein one electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells has the same potential as a reference potential of the rectangular wave power source.

10. The charging device according to claim 4,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.

13. The charging device according to claim 7,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.

5. A charging device capable of charging any one of a plurality of series-connected electric accumulator cells which form an electric accumulator, the charging device comprising:

a charging circuit; and

a rectangular wave power source,

wherein the charging circuit has a plurality of sub circuits for each of the electric accumulator cells, the sub circuits each having a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, a fourth diode, a capacitor and a second capacitor, an anode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode being connected to one end of the first capacitor, a cathode of the first diode being connected to a positive electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, an anode of the second diode being connected to a negative electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, an anode of the third diode and a cathode of the fourth diode being connected to one end of the second capacitor, a cathode of the third diode being connected to a positive electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, an anode of the fourth diode being connected to a negative electrode of each of the electric accumulator cells, and

wherein the rectangular wave power source applies a rectangular wave voltage to the other end of the first capacitor and applies an inverted voltage obtained by inverting the rectangular wave voltage to the other end of the second capacitor of any one of the sub circuits of the charging circuit.

6. The charging device according to claim 5,

wherein a center voltage of the rectangular wave voltage has a fixed potential difference from a center voltage of the inverted voltage.

8. The charging device according to claim 5,

wherein one electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells has the same potential as a reference potential of the rectangular wave power source.

9. The charging device according to claim 6,

wherein one electrode of any one of the electric accumulator cells has the same potential as a reference potential of the rectangular wave power source.

11. The charging device according to claim 5,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.

12. The charging device according to claim 6,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.

14. The charging device according to claim 8,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.

15. The charging device according to claim 9,

wherein at least one of a resistor and an inductor is provided in a current flow path between the electric accumulator and the rectangular wave power source.