POWER DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20080136374A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Nelson, Jody J., Nietfeld, Franz
• Granted Patent: US 7,982,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/11 Buck converter, i.e. DC-DC step down converter decreasing the voltage between the supply and the inverter driving the motor general aspects of plural converters in cascade H02M
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A power device for use in a vehicle includes a housing, a voltage converter, and a charge-storing device. The housing carries the voltage converter and the charge-storing device. The voltage converter includes a circuit that converts a power signal having a first voltage level to a second voltage level. The charge-storing device electrically couples with the voltage converter and stores the power signal having the second voltage level.

Claims

1. A power device for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a voltage converter carried by the housing to convert a power signal having a first voltage to a second voltage; and

a charge-storing device carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the voltage converter to store electrical charge from the second voltage and provide steady-state electrical power for electronics on the vehicle.

2. The power device of claim 1, further comprising a metal plate located on the housing to provide an electrical connection between the charge-storing device and vehicle ground.

3. The power device of claim 1, wherein the power signal is a DC voltage.

4. The power device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is greater than twice the voltage of the second voltage.

5. The power device of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter reduces the voltage of the power signal from the first voltage to the second voltage.

6. The power device of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is operable to reduce the voltage of the power signal from the first voltage to the second voltage, and is operable to convert a voltage from the charge-storing device from the second voltage to the first voltage.

7. The power device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises an AC/DC converter, a transformer, and a DC/AC converter.

8. The power device of claim 1, wherein the charge-storing device is operable to provide power to the electronics for at least several minutes.

9. The power device of claim 1, wherein the charge-storing device is a battery.

10. The power device of claim 1, wherein the charge, storing device is an ultra capacitor.

16. The power device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is greater than double the voltage of the second voltage.

17. The power device of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter reduces the voltage of the power signal from the first voltage to the second voltage.

18. The power device of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is operable to reduce the voltage of the power signal from the first voltage to the second voltage, and is operable to convert a voltage from the charge-storing device from the second voltage to the first voltage.

19. The power device of claim 1, wherein the charge-storing device is operable to provide power to the electronics for at least several minutes.

11. A power device for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a first connector carried by the housing and adapted for coupling the power device to a power source;

a voltage converter carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the first connector;

a charge-storing device carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the voltage converter for storing electrical charge; and

a second connector for electrically coupling the charge-storing device with an external device;

wherein the voltage converter receives a power signal having a first voltage at the first connector, converts the first voltage of the power signal into a second voltage, and provides the second voltage to the charge-storing device to store charge from the second voltage for use as an electrical power source for electronics on the vehicle.

12. The power device of claim 11, further comprising a third connector carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the power device to connect the power device with a vehicle communication bus.

13. The power device of claim 11, wherein the first connector comprises a pair of posts located on the exterior of the housing.

14. The power device of claim 11, wherein the second connector comprises a metal plate located on the exterior of the housing to provide an electrical connection to the charge-storing device.

15. The power device of claim 11, wherein the power signal is a DC voltage signal.

20. A power system for providing power in a vehicle, comprising:

a power source generating a power signal having a first DC voltage;

a power device electrically coupled to the power source, the power system comprising;

a housing;

a first connector carried by the housing and adapted for coupling the power supply to the power source;

a voltage converter carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the first connector; and

a charge-storing device carried by the housing and electrically coupled with the voltage converter;

wherein the voltage converter receives the first DC voltage from the power source, converts the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage, and provides the second DC voltage to the charge-storing device to store charge from the second voltage for use as a source of electrical power for electronics in the vehicle.